Chapter 146: Establishing a Life for the Wild Fox
Gong Mengbi was surprised for a moment and said, "There are actually foxes from other counties. Has the reputation of Wuning County Fox Court spread outside?"
Kang Wen laughed: "This has to say that we foxes have great magical powers and a wide range of friends."
Gong Mengbi nodded and said, "That's a good thing. After all, there are only a limited number of foxes in Wuning County, so sooner or later we'll have to recruit students from outside. When they finish their studies, they can return home and spread the fame of the Fox Academy, saving us a lot of trouble."
Kang Wen said, "I think so too. The immortal position of Master Fox Association is newly established. In the entire Dongyang County, only Wuning County has it. The same is true for the Fox Academy. When Master is promoted in the future, the Fox Academy will also be expanded. Wuning County is adjacent to Yongkang, Wushang, and Feng'an, so it can gather talents from the four counties to educate them."
Gong Mengbi looked at Kang Wen steadily and said, "Okay, you have such a plan, which shows that you are serious about it."
Kang Wen was actually nervous, because such a plan was actually guessing Gong Mengbi's intentions and showing his own ambitions.
Fortunately, Gong Mengbi gave positive feedback, support and comfort, which greatly encouraged Kang Wen.
Gong Mengbi would never suppress their motivation to climb up. If forcing things to happen was not harmful, he would have wanted to force-feed them to produce a few useful people.
Now that Kang Wen can stand up on his own, Gong Mengbi feels extremely comforted.
Gong Mengbi said, "It has been arranged. We will offer sacrifices to the Goddess of Mount Tai tonight. All foxes are welcome to participate."
Kang Wen went down to inform the arrangements.
Gong Mengbi went to discuss the teaching matters with Ning Caichen and Ma Junji. Originally, Ning Caichen, Ma Junji and Gong Mengbi were to rotate every three days. But with the new students entering school, the classes would have to be staggered, which would require the two gentlemen to put in more effort.
Gong Mengbi spoke earnestly, "After June, you will complete your one-year study period. At that time, our Heavenly Fox Academy's stewards, chief priests, and dean will inspect Fox Son Academy to see for themselves. Your two gentlemen's virtues in teaching and educating others will be verified then. If successful, Heavenly Fox Academy will establish Fox Son Academy throughout the country to promote your teachings, and your names will be remembered by foxes everywhere. This is a cause of immeasurable merit, so your attention is particularly needed."
Ning Caichen and Ma Junji's blood boiled at this. Who among the world's scholars didn't have a cherished wish to leave their name in history and pass on their virtue for generations to come? Even if it wasn't in the human court, demonstrating enlightenment among the foxes would greatly boost the scholars' ambitions.
"This is the way of the saints, and we have no choice but to do it!" Ning Caichen and Ma Junji said solemnly.
Gong Mengbi smiled and said, "We will teach two batches of students this year. In the future, your monthly salary will be doubled to reward your hard work."
Ma Junji said, "Fox Club, our monthly salary is already quite a bit, enough for our expenses. We are willing to do our best, not for the money."
Gong Mengbi smiled and said, "I know the moral principles of the two gentlemen, so how dare I use money to measure your intentions. It's all about hard work and rewards. You can't withhold money just because you're doing it for the sake of morality, and let good people suffer. That's unjust and bullying. Money is a vulgar thing, but it's also a treasure that can alleviate difficulties. If it can relieve the two gentlemen from worrying about trivial matters, then this money is well spent."
Ning Caichen and Ma Junji were deeply moved and regarded Gong Mengbi as their close friend.
The gentleman was mobilized here and the results were outstanding. Gong Mengbi was very satisfied.
At night, when the moon was bright, the foxes gathered in front of the altar.
One by one, the fox lanterns lit up, shrouding the Fox Courtyard in a hazy glow.
Gong Mengbi first led the foxes to worship the Queen Mother of Mount Tai and the Jade Fairy Goddess, praising the Queen Mother's kindness and the goddess' grace.
Then now in front of the altar, Gong Mengbi started a mobilization meeting.
"You've arrived at an opportune time," Gong Mengbi said straight to the point. "After June, during the Fox Academy's one-year term, the Jade Fairy Goddess, the Heavenly Fox Academy's Head Priest, the Doctors, the Deacons, and the Fox Fairies will all come to inspect and assess your academic performance."
"What!"
This sentence caused a huge uproar. All the foxes were surprised. There was a constant noise for a while. The foxes had all kinds of thoughts in their minds, chirping and jumping around on the ground.
"The goddess is coming to Fox Court!"
"My God, I haven't seen a real immortal god yet."
"Oh my god, oh my god, Goddess Taishan is above!"
Gong Mengbi gave them some time to react and looked at them quietly. After a moment, they gradually quieted down.
He continued, "There is no Fox Academy in the world. I founded the Fox Academy to educate wild foxes. The goddess saw this and came to test you as well as me."
"Last year, when I first summoned you, I told you that we, the Wild Foxes, had three paths to choose from. Do you still remember?"
The foxes replied, "Remember!"
Gong Mengbi said, "It's hard to achieve anything higher than that. That's the path to immortality. One must pass the entrance exam to become a student at the Heavenly Fox Academy before being allowed to cultivate. Do you know how many wild foxes in the world can possibly be admitted to the Heavenly Fox Academy?"
The foxes shook their heads.
Gong Mengbi said, "The year I was admitted to the Heavenly Fox Academy, among all the foxes in the world, only two wild foxes were admitted."
"Wild foxes are ignorant, their spiritual wisdom is not awakened, their Dao heart is not developed, and their innate nature is not revealed. It is extremely difficult for them to pass the entrance examination to the Heavenly Fox Academy. Often, they need to waste hundreds of years and take countless detours before they can pass the examination and enter the immortal path."
"The Queen Mother of Mount Tai oversees all foxes. The Heavenly Fox Academy assesses foxes for their ascension to immortality, but for wild foxes, these opportunities are still too rare. Therefore, after I took over the Fox Association, I established the Fox Academy to educate the foxes of Wuning County. I hope you will have more opportunities and choices, and won't have to take too many detours."
"The goddess saw that I had such an ambition and supported me in my teaching. If I could teach you, I would order all fox fairies in the world to build fox academies to provide a home for wild foxes."
"Everyone, the path to immortality is hard to come by, but right here is your chance. If you succeed in your studies and pass the assessment, I, with the support of the goddess, can recommend you to take the entrance exam for the Heavenly Fox Academy. Not only will you have the opportunity to achieve immortality, but you can also create a chance for all wild foxes in the world and for future generations to become immortals."
"If it succeeds, all the foxes in the world will remember your merits. But if it fails, the fox academy in Wuning County will be relegated to the lowest rank in the future, and can only barely make your life less difficult while you are hanging out in the human world."
"Study hard, everyone. You are no longer children. You should know that opportunities are hard to come by and good fortune is hard to find. This is not for me, not for all the foxes in the world, but for yourselves!"
“I just hope you will learn something and have a promising future!”
Silence.
There was silence in front of the altar, and the foxes were stunned and speechless.
Gong Mengbi looked at them, and suddenly a hint of disappointment appeared in his eyes.
But suddenly, someone shouted, "I've learned a lot! I want to become an immortal!"
All of a sudden, there was a roar from the mountains and the sea, and all the foxes in the fox yard were in an uproar.
"I've learned a lot! I want to become an immortal!"
"Cultivate Immortality!"
Gong Mengbi then laughed.
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