“… As such, this program seeks to utilize the strengths of the Training Hall to support the upbringing of our sects most talented disciples while simultaneously broadening their horizons by allowing them to interact with more of their peers.

Not only can the Training Hall more easily house and feed these disciples, allowing the partnering halls to completely cut those costs, it also has a lot of experienced instructors that can help administer basic combat training. The disciples would also be able to spar with more people, both outer disciples and inner disciples of other partnering halls, allowing them to gain broader combat experiences than if they only ever had a few fellow inner disciples to practice with.

The specialized education on the other hand, would of course continue to be administered by experts specifically chosen by the halls. I firmly believe that this combination would lead to a better overall learning environment for the inner disciples.”

Liu Wei continued to carefully observe the reactions of the elders. Over the course of his speech, they had switched from disbelieve to anger and finally to a hint of fear, as they had realized just how serious he was about this.

“You… You can’t do that. The council will not allow it.” Zheng Rong stammered after several seconds of silence.

“I think you misunderstood, Elder Zheng Rong. I am not asking the council for permission; I am informing you all of this offer. As a project between halls, this falls firmly into the realm of their autonomy.”

Zheng Rong didn’t retaliate, Ning Bai responding in his stead.

“It is an insult to think that you want to house our sect’s talents in that… that dirt hole of yours.”

“As I already mentioned, I am already in the process of reforming the Training Hall to a place much more deserving of its function. I also want to remind you that that ‘dirt hole’ is where the sect has already chosen to have the majority of its disciples live.”

“Nevertheless, what you are attempting is a huge break with sect tradition. I urge you to think it over.”

“The debate of tradition versus progression is, as I understand it, an ongoing one amongst the ranks of this council. Because of that very fact, I am not trying to force this on anyone here. If no hall leader believes this idea to be of merit, it will simply remain an idea.”

“I believe it of merit.”

The deep, raspy voice of Ma Rong called out.

“The Alchemy Hall will partake in this project.”

“The same naturally goes for the Enforcement Hall. I am always open to change.”

Lan Shi added, without missing a beat. After a few moments of silence, Meng Hui gave his stuttering affirmation as well.

“We haven’t even closed the debate on whether or not this is allowed yet. How can you just carry on like this? This is an insult!”

Ning Bai was slowly losing his cool.

“There is no debate on that, except if you want to start discussing the halls right to autonomous action. Let me remind you though, that that is a concept of this sect, older than even the pillar families.”

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“Elder Bai, please moderate yourself. It would be hugely embarrassing if the patriarch had to step in a second time this meeting.”

“I… you’re right, Elder Xia. I don’t know what I was thinking. Let it be known, however, that I remain in opposition to this project.”

Liu Wei didn’t doubt, that this wouldn’t be the last he was hearing from Ning Bai or the other elders of the pillar families about this, but this was to be expected. The pushback he had received for this was actually less than he had anticipated. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of the previous argument.

“I will keep your objections in mind. Only time will truly be able to tell, who was in the right. Anyways, that is all I wanted to discuss with the council today. I return the word to my fellow elders.”

The council didn’t go on for long after this. His own faction had already brought up all their concerns and the pillar family leaders were much too distracted to return to their normal bickering. After a few necessary things had been discussed, the council was adjourned by Long Zhao. Liu Wei left with a sense of accomplishment, though he did feel like he had missed something.

…

Elder Hu Chen was spent. After the last council meeting, he had thought that no council meeting he would ever attend after that could shock him anymore. Yet, that one was truly peaceful compared to the one he had just been at.

The world of politics was usually defined by quite slow and gradual changes. After all, the most powerful people all spent the majority of their time cultivating and honing their skills.

It was something that Hu Chen very much welcomed. What had happened in the last two meetings and what, much to his dismay, he suspected would keep happening, was very unusual, even by the speed at which it happened alone.

Hu Chen couldn’t really tell where his distaste for quick and sudden things came from. Perhaps it was the feeling of not being in control of that change that was so hard to feel.

He was an elder of the sect, a cultivator of the Dao Contemplation Realm. As such he was hypothetically a member of the sect’s elite, one of the most powerful people in the entire Northern Sect Alliance.

In truth though, he was little more than a slave to the pillar families. They had sponsored him, given him the support that he had desperately needed to reach the level of cultivation that he was at. It was a great gift, but it was one that came at a price.

His soul had been strained and permanently damaged from the overuse of low-quality cultivation medicine. His understanding of the Dao was forced and baseless, he had not been given the time to build it up organically. Not only had he little chance of ever progressing beyond the first stage of Dao Comprehension, his current strength was also far lower than it ought to be.

His position wasn’t one ha had achieved by his own merit, but one that had been handed to him. Every elder, no matter their strength, had the same right to vote on the council. He was there to back up the decisions of the pillar families, because the opposition had grown too large for their comfort. The leaders of the pillar families didn’t like to lift other members of their own family to the level of Dao Contemplation as that would mean creating a potential rival to their leadership.

It was quite depressing to think about it, but that paranoia was the only reason Hu Chen existed at all. Without it, he would long have died an ordinary sect member, either in battle or simply of old age.

Yes, now that he thought about it, he was quite certain. This was the origin of his dislike for change. It reminded him that he was just a tiny boat, barely allowed to stay afloat in a sea of forces, infinitely greater than him.

As he slowly walked the way home, captured by his melancholy, his eyes fell on the village-like structure that was the Training Hall. It was already dark, but the eyes of a cultivator his level could easily make out the distant houses and the few remaining lights.

He vividly remembered his time there. He had been just another frog in a well, unable to see the wider world for what it was, powerless to the extreme. And yet, never in his life had he felt more hopeful and alive than back then.

A faint smile played over his lips at the memory. Perhaps he should pay the place a visit sometime, instead of yet another helpless attempt at fixing his mess of a cultivation.

Continuing onward, he allowed himself to reminisce a little more, bathing in the tranquility that his temporary escape from the complicated and exhausting world that he was caught in granted him.