“Li Changsheng!”
After a few hours.
Old Man Li’s face showed confusion, was he having hallucinations again?
Looking around, he did not see Wu Kuishan. Old Man Li felt slightly relieved. Fortunately, no one was coming to seek revenge.
Without showing anything amiss, Old Man Li laughed and said, “Fengrou, why are you here?”
Lu Fengrou saw him smiling happily, felt that something was strange, and snorted. “Have you broken through to Rank-8?”
“Probably... It probably could be?”
Old Man Li’s tone was a little uncertain, it was not easy to deceive someone who was familiar with him.
Was he considered a Rank-8?
Certainly not!
However, Old Man Li would also not acknowledge himself as a Rank-6. If they said he was Rank-8 then so be it. After all, being half of it was close enough.
“Probably?”
Lu Fengrou frowned slightly, what kind of answer was this?
Since she was already displeased with this old man, as she heard his perfunctory response, without further nonsense, Lu Fengrou’s fist shot out as fast as thunder and struck towards him.
“Clang!”
A clear clanging sound reverberated.
Lu Fengrou took a few steps backward, her fist trembling slightly, gritted her teeth, and said, “You are something!”
This old man had forged a golden body!
Old Man Li lightly dusted his clothes, his whole face showed indifference.
He felt relief in his heart. Fortunately, it was only a fist, if she had used her Mentality on him, then he would be exposed, even if Lu Fengrou’s Mentality would not hurt him much.
He smiled reservedly, and then Old Man Li coughed and said, “I’m just mediocre, the student that you taught, on the other hand, is the good one, he cherishes bonds. Fengrou, you have taken in a good student!”
These words were heart-piercing!
Lu Fengrou’s eyes twitched constantly.
That kid, was he her student?
Not his instead?
She took a deep breath and suppressed her urge to beat the guy to death. Lu Fengrou anxiously asked, “Is it the Life Essence?”
“Yeah.”
“A few hundred catties?”
“Not to that extent...” Old Man Li denied it, and then said, “In fact, I probably only absorbed about a few dozens of catties, and the rest was lost.”
Lu Fengrou slowly breathed in for a moment. She felt like killing this old thing now!
“Is there any more?”
“None.”
Old Man Li immediately denied it and then smiled again. “I have none with me, but... Fang Ping might still have some, maybe he has hidden it somewhere.”
Old Man Li was not in the least bit bothered and instantly betrayed Fang Ping.
That kid, after swallowing so much Life Essence, he would not need to use it for the time being.
As for the breakthrough to the Grandmaster rank, the guy was now not lacking energy, but time.
As Lu Fengrou’s breakthrough was imminent, Old Man Li felt that if Fang Ping still had some, helping Lu Fengrou breakthrough would be more useful than to waste it.
Lu Fengrou looked fierce and cold on the outside, but she was not.
If Fang Ping helped her to break through now, it would be a big favor, and Lu Fengrou would not let him suffer any loss.
As soon as Old Man Li had finished speaking, Lu Fengrou disappeared. She felt like pummeling him to death whenever she looked at him now, but considering that the old man had broken through, she probably could not do so either. Thinking about it, she decided to let the old man off in the meantime.
Seeing that Lu Fengrou had left, Old Man Li was relieved again. She came so quickly and was still so formidable. What he thought about at noon, he must be out of his mind.
...
In the tent.
At the moment, Fang Ping was having a conversation with several people in upper management from Nanjiang.
Zhang Dingnan, the commander of the Nanjiang Military Region, and Wang Jinyang were all present.
From MCMAU, besides Fang Ping, Luo Yichuan and Tang Feng were also there.
As the few people were talking, inside the tent, Tang Feng raised his eyebrows slightly. The next moment, Lu Fengrou pushed open the flap and went in.
When Fang Ping saw Lu Fengrou, he was slightly surprised. Then he got up and smiled. “Instructor, why are you here? Don’t worry about me, I’m fine...”
Lu Fengrou glanced at him. Was she worried about him?
She had just come out of Magic City’s Catacombs and only heard that Fang Ping had entered the Catacombs. Fang Ping knew how to flatter himself.
Ignoring Fang Ping, Lu Fengrou glanced around and saw Zhang Dingnan who was still pale. Frowning slightly, she asked, “You didn’t die?”
Zhang Dingnan smiled slightly and said, “Devil’s luck.”
“You really have the devil’s luck.”
Lu Fengrou snorted softly, and asked, “Are your injuries alright?”
“Tolerable. I’ll survive if I recuperate for a while.”
“I know that you won’t die.”
“...”
The two of them were conversing as if they were alone. Fang Ping was stunned, what was this situation!
Was something going on between them?
Since when did Old Lu care about other people?
She was even asking if his injuries were alright?
If Wu Kuishan was seriously injured, Lu Fengrou would probably not even ask about it?
In the past, he had heard Lu Fengrou mentioned that Zhang Dingnan was also coveting her in those days. Was it possible that it was true?
Big news!
Fang Ping was shocked, but the others were acting as if they did not hear anything.
Luo Yichuan and Tang Feng acted as if they did not see anything. After all, Lu Fengrou and Zhang Dingnan had a good relationship and were friends for many years.
Otherwise, since Zhang Dingnan was a Nanjiang governor-general, it was not strange for his combat techniques to appear in NMAU, but on what grounds did it appear in MCMAU?
Combat techniques were available in every school, as the Grandmasters would generally not conceal it.
However, the Grandmaster’s combat techniques were not simply passed around everywhere either. If they were passed around simply, would they not be at a big loss if the techniques were learned by evil sects?
The two did not say much either. After Lu Fengrou ended her pleasantries with Zhang Dingnan, she asked, “Discussing matters?”
“Yes, you came just in time, sit down and listen.”
Zhang Dingnan had a smile on his face and gestured for her to sit down.
Lu Fengrou did not hesitate and immediately pulled out Fang Ping’s chair and sat down on her own.
Fang Ping looked on helplessly, there were other empty chairs, why did she have to take his.
He had no choice but to find another empty seat and sat down.
Zhang Dingnan continued with the topic just now. “Nanjiang’s economy is not too strong, and the environment for martial arts cultivation is average. Now that the Nanjiang’s Catacombs are open, if it continues to be so, Nanjiang would be in grave danger.
Before this, Fang Ping and NMAU had discussed about cooperation. But this time, in my opinion, cooperation is possible, but the focus should not only be on NMAU... ”
Zhang Dingnan probably saw that Lu Fengrou had just come, and thus added a few more words.
Fang Ping waited until he had finished speaking. “We all understand what Governor-General means, but opening a special recruiting class in MCMAU, I feel that it is not necessary?
“NMAU could carry out the training for the Nanjiang local martial artists...”
Zhang Dingnan said slightly bitterly, “NMAU is now beset with problems. Vice-chancellor Chen died in battle. Whether it would be possible to find a high-ranked powerhouse to oversee NMAU is difficult to say at the moment, even the Education Ministry would not necessarily be able to appoint a high-ranked powerhouse to take over.
“Besides, with the opening of the Catacombs, some of NMAU’s mentors need to stand guard in the Catacombs, and the current lessons have been seriously affected.
“It would be more difficult to start external training for casual martial artists.
“This sort of training would not take up much energy, it was mainly to deepen the casual martial artists’ understanding of the Catacombs.
“These include the study of the language of the Catacombs, the cultivation of some combat techniques, and of course, some practical knowledge of the Catacombs.
“The Nanjiang Catacombs had just opened, and the construction of the city is still in the midst of preparations. Therefore, I am thinking of letting some martial artists enter Magic City’s Catacombs to practice. Here at Nanjiang, there is not even a place for shelter.
“Besides, the teaching environment of MCMAU is better, including the cultivation rooms such as the Energy Room and the Vitality Pool...”
Luo Yichuan frowned and said, “Governor-General Zhang, these facilities are not even enough for my instructors and students to use...”
The cooperation that Zhang Dingnan was talking about included these facilities to be opened up for usage by the Nanjiang martial artists.
Nanjiang did not build these.
This did not involve a small amount of money!
MCMAU had allocated tens of billions every year, in which a large amount was used for the construction of these facilities.
Not to mention the others, even though the energy room looked simple, with its purpose only to combust a few energy stones and to enable the energy concentration to be more abundant, to assist everyone in their cultivation.
Fang Ping had always been looking at the energy stones, but little did he realize that the actual expensive construction cost was the energy room itself!
Every cultivation chamber can keep the energy from being discharged. The cost of creating such a cultivation chamber is extremely high.
The raw materials used for the surrounding walls were not ordinary. These construction materials could shield the energy from leaking out. From the financial point of view, they were not lower than the value of grade B alloy.
It was constructed from the fusion of the energy crystals after the release of a large amount of energy with some rare metals.
Fang Ping did not care that these showed his deficiency in discernments. The cost of MCMAU’s Energy Room was at least 10 billion!
This did not include the annual maintenance cost, and the purchase of some high-end equipment, such as the energy release settings, which were extremely expensive.
Nanjiang did not have any Catacombs before, and the government had never considered constructing this as it was too expensive.
The construction costs of tens of billions of Yuan, and also the requirement for a lot of energy stones, even if this were built, they would not have so many energy stones available for usage.
Currently, among the Universities and Military Schools, only CCMAU, MCMAU, and First Military School have such facilities.
Other Universities, including other second-grade schools, do not have these facilities.
The same was true for the Vitality Pool, not to mention that it was also necessary to capture the powerhouses of the Catacombs as raw materials.
Even if Nanjiang wanted to construct these now, it would take quite some time, also they had funding problems as they were not financially well-off.
Regarding Luo Yichuan’s words, Zhang Dingnan was not surprised, and said with a smile, “Dean Luo, MCMAU’s energy stones are also limited. Those facilities are not always opened and always overcrowded.
“The energy stones and other materials that would be consumed will be provided by Nanjiang itself, and will not be taken from MCMAU.
“And if this cooperation could be achieved, the future annual produces of the Nanjiang Catacombs, although not from the Military Department, part of the production by Nanjiang martial artists could be used as tuition expenses and fees for the usage of venue.
“To tell the truth, this would be a mutual benefit for both sides, not only would Nanjiang benefit alone.
“In fact, we could also forge cooperation with CCMAU or other institutions... including building our own facilities...”
Fang Ping smiled and said, “Governor-General, not taking into account Nanjiang’s current financial difficulties, and whether you can take out so much money to build your own facilities, even if it were possible, the cost-performance ratio is not good.
“On the matter of cooperation with CCMAU and the other institutions, does the Governor-General feel hopeful about it?
“Of course, the central government also has a lot of such facilities, but the central government is also training martial artists, and for Nanjiang’s casual martial artists to enter, it would probably be difficult...”
Zhang Dingnan smiled and said, “There is no need to beat around the bush. Just mention whatever MCMAU’s conditions are.”
“Then I will just say it.”
Fang Ping bluntly said, “Firstly, for MCMAU to open special classes would not pose any problem, but the number of seats is limited to not more than 300 people per year. Those who are below Rank-2 do not need to come as they would just be wasting Nanjiang’s limited resources.”
“Secondly, MCMAU’s facilities can be opened to the Nanjiang martial artists, but all expenses to be self-provided, including the venue fee.”
“Thirdly, all fees, including tuition fees, venue fees, training fees, and material fees... MCMAU will not accept cash but is to be paid with medicinal herbs, energy stones, and rare metals. The prices will be regulated following the purchase price of the few major companies.”
“Fourthly, students who enter MCMAU’s special recruitment classes, including those from Nanjiang Martial Arts University, can purchase our pills and weapons from the MCMAU official website. They will not be charged cash, but also with various raw materials. This is considered as a privilege given to Nanjiang by MCMAU, of course, the price will not be the same as that given to MCMAU’s students.”
Fang Ping said with a smile, “These are the few points, it’s not very difficult. This is also because Nanjiang is my homeland. I can’t bear to see my hometown’s martial artists...”
“Fang Ping!”
Wang Jinyang interrupted his words a little grudgingly, and said after quite a while, “We are all from Nanjiang, and now that Nanjiang is already in an unstable situation, you... you are kicking us when we are already down...”
“President Wang!”
Fang Ping turned to address him by his formal title and shook his head. “You’re wrong. I’m providing help in your hour of need! Business is business... of course this is not considered a business cooperation, but we still have to distinguish between public and private interests.
“MCMAU is not an institution affiliated with Nanjiang.
“MCMAU has its responsibilities and it is not a place that I could decide alone. I am just a student. Everything I had done is fighting for the interests of Nanjiang and this is already being biased.
“The several vice-chancellors, including several deans, originally disagreed.
“Regarding this, the attitudes of all universities would be unanimous. Think about it differently, if NMAU has such prerequisites, will it open up to the outside world?
“It isn’t because of our narrow-mindedness, but rather our limited resources. We are already frugal in meeting our own needs, opening up a part to the outside world might cause a series of adverse effects.
“The Governor-General should know that these points that I have mentioned are not to put Nanjiang into a sticky situation...”
Zhang Dingnan felt a little helpless. Even though he was a Grandmaster powerhouse, he felt that he had to lower his head to those he was requesting help from.
What Fang Ping had said was not too harsh.
But if the raw materials of the Catacombs were to be used as currency for everything, that alone would spell trouble.
This was blatantly seizing the businesses of the several big companies, and Fang Ping was also very clear on this. This problem needed to be dealt with by Nanjiang themselves. The martial artists of Nanjiang must use these things to compensate, not that MCMAU insisted on it being this way.
It could not be that the other person offered, yet was declined?
The crucial point was not anything else, but rather how Zhang Dingnan would settle all these and establish the cooperation.
The future products of the Nanjiang martial artists might all be brought into MCMAU’s warehouse in the later period, this was not a trivial matter.
Zhang Dingnan originally meant that the consumption for the Energy Room and the Vitality Pool would be paid for using raw materials. However, he did not mean for everything that has happened to happen, and especially not for MCMAU’s opening of its own exchange system. This was already MCMAU selling their produces in disguise.
Several other powerhouses of MCMAU were silent, agreeing tacitly to what Fang Ping was saying.
If they could acquire the Catacombs’ produces of the Nanjiang martial artists, and sell all these products after further productions, after all, the pills and weapons were both profiteering industries!
Even if they were to sell at a little lower price than what the few big companies were selling, it was still a wildly profitable business.
Not wanting money, but only raw materials were the sole requirement of MCMAU but were also the biggest problem.
Zhang Dingnan lightly tapped on the table and said after a long time, “Actually, pill companies and weapon companies also have corresponding training institutions and cultivation facilities...”
Fang Ping said with a smile, “I know, it’s unpleasant to say, but these big companies are not professional training units. If the martial artists of Nanjiang were to go there, it’s not sure how they will be taught to be.
“Moreover, these major companies hold the monopoly positions, their conditions would only be more demanding than ours.
“Besides, everything is temporary currently. I believe that because of the existence of the Catacombs, it won’t take long before the martial artists of Nanjiang will enter a rapid growth period.
“Soon, a large number of talents and a large number of powerhouses will emerge.
“When the time comes, Nanjiang can prepare all this by itself, without the need to draw support from any external forces.
“It’s just short-term cooperation, but once Nanjiang depends on the major companies now, it will have to constantly rely on them in the future. Nanjiang’s martial artists will all become laborers for the major companies in the future.
“The existence of the few major companies is a good thing which I do not deny.
“Under the circumstances of limited resources, to centralize these resources and integrate their production to supply to the whole country is indeed a meritorious deed!”
Fang Ping said earnestly, “No one will deny this. In the early days, the major companies have made great contributions to the prosperity of martial artists.
“Including their profits, because they eventually all went into the government finances, only then, were there several hundred billions of annual grants to the universities and trillions of military appropriations!
“However that was before. At that time, the entrances to the Catacombs were few and inevitably there was little produce, so this was the only way.
“Today, the entrances had increased to up to 23, yet the major companies are still in a monopoly position. They are no longer established simply for the sake of the nationalization of martial arts.
“In this time, there shouldn’t be any more monopolization, but efforts should be made to reduce the cultivation cost of the martial artists so that more martial artists and powerhouses could emerge.
“Before this, to cultivate a Rank-1 martial artist, the minimum cost is a million or even higher!
“How many civilian families can afford that?
“The prices of pills remain high, only going up and not coming down!
“But in reality?
“In reality, our produce is increasing every year. With the entrances of the Catacombs opening up, although they are certainly a crisis, it also presents an opportunity to the humans.
“Moreover, we are also undertaking manual cultivation of several raw materials.
“Nowadays, the energy concentration of the earth is increasing, and the pill companies have established many bases for the cultivation of medicinal herbs.
“Yet they are still exploiting benefits due to the martial artists, this is indeed neglecting the essentials!
“I think the central government has also taken this into account. This was also the reason why when MCMAU requested to expand the school’s production line, that request was approved.
“Since MCMAU had pioneered this, I think that in the future such a situation will continue to appear and continue to increase.
“Nanjiang also needs to make such preparations well, so that Nanjiang need not rely solely on the major companies, but to consider its own interests...”
Fang Ping said a lot, and everyone listened silently.
Wang Jinyang and others thought it made sense, but Zhang Dingnan felt slightly agonized.
Words and reasoning were easy to say but crucially, implementation was difficult.
The martial artists in Nanjiang were not strong, to begin with. To be able to attain self-sufficiency would not be simple.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Dingnan pondered for a long time and finally said, “What you have said, I can agree to it. But you also need to consider carefully, because, in this way, MCMAU would become the target of public criticism!”
Fang Ping said indifferently, “If you want to be strong, you must touch on the taboos of the people with vested interests, but I believe that the central government still understands these truths. The government is committed to reformations. I believe that a lot of people can see this.
If we want the nationalization of martial arts, if you want more martial artists, more powerhouses, the basic and underlying point is that the cultivation costs have to decrease, it is inevitable.
“Even if we don’t seize their business, the major companies will have to reduce their prices in the future. MCMAU is just making a start. If the major companies, including some beneficiaries, really feel that MCMAU has violated taboos and robbed their interests, they would also not do anything openly, at the worst they would only look for trouble under the table.
“However MCMAU is not afraid of anything. Would they dare to go into battle with us over this?
“Since they can’t, they can only suppress us through other means, such as reducing their supply to us... However, when MCMAU has reached that stage, we wouldn’t care much about supply then.
“They are only paper tigers unless they risk universal condemnation by directly attacking us. The crucial point is MCMAU is the Best Elite University, they would have to consider the consequences!”
Zhang Dingnan said, “What about yourself?”
“Me?”
Fang Ping said with a smile, “If they want to target me, then they would also have to consider the consequences. Not to mention I will not be easy to dispose of, even if it’s possible, they would also need to consider if it would be easy to take on the fury of several Grandmaster powerhouses?”
With that, Fang Ping said while inclining his head, “Dean Li has broken through, next would be Dean Tang who is about to, my instructor is also soon too, including Vice-chancellor Chen of SCMAU, the other three Grandmasters from MCMAU, and even including some old seniors who had graduated, as well as you, Governor-General Zhang who is a powerhouse keen for change, could you all be indifferent?
“I, Fang Ping am nothing. Even if I was disposed of, there would still be countless others who would emerge.
“This is not for my personal benefit, it is for the benefit of the entire martial arts world...”
Tang Feng said in a deep voice, “This is the matter of MCMAU, not a personal matter. Whoever dares to do it, don’t blame us for ignoring the big picture! The frontline martial artists were living precariously. The past is the past when it was natural for the warriors of the frontline to sacrifice more for the prosperity of the martial arts!
“But now, times should change!
“If the cost for martial arts cultivation is not reduced, how could more martial artists emerge?
“It is very difficult for a civilian family to produce a martial artist!
“The 23 entrances to the Catacombs were now opened, unlike one or two in previous years. Since the government is preparing for the nationalization of martial arts, and to publicize the facts of the Catacombs, then the civilian population must have the hope of becoming a martial artist, rather than just publicizing information and doing nothing!
“What is the cost of raw materials for an ordinary Vitality Pill? Even with all added expenses, it would not exceed 30,000!
“Now the selling price is 100,000!
“How many families can afford this?
“MCMAU’s cultivation of martial artists is not only for those who are carried on from generations. We hope that there will be a large number of civilian students and civilian martial artists! Martial artists should not be the product of a privileged social class. Reformation is imperative! ”
Fang Ping could not help but glance sideways. Big Lion could surely give a speech. Why did he not realize it before, could this Big Lion be playing the fool?
Zhang Dingnan glanced at everyone from MCMAU and did not say anything else. MCMAU having such a heart was a good thing for the martial arts world.
As for the considerations of the big companies, it was not his business.
MCMAU was not one to be trifled with. They had several Grandmasters in the school itself and also several Grandmasters who had graduated, they were much more powerful than Nanjiang.
Zhang Dingnan felt that the probability of the major companies agreeing to this while suffering silently was not small. They could not possibly start a war with MCMAU?
Then, it would not be necessary for MCMAU to make the move, the central government and the Military Department will exterminate them.
...
As the two sides had reached an agreement, it was also an implication that the cooperation between Nanjiang and MCMAU had officially started.
Zhang Dingnan did not sign any agreement with MCMAU, nor did they need it. These things only needed to be put into action by everyone and there was no need to make a big fanfare out of it.