Two quarters of an hour later.
In the main hall of the Martial Affairs Office.
Seven men and one woman were seated on the chairs in the hall, exchanging glances filled with confusion.
The eight of them were vice hall masters from the Eight Great Martial Arts Halls and were familiar with one another.
What business did Inspector Shu have to gather them here now?
"Everyone's here, right."
After a moment, Shu Suwan appeared from behind the screen and sat directly in the main seat, exuding a cold aura unlike her earlier gentle demeanor in the courtyard.
Sensing Shu Suwan's imposing presence, the eight became even more puzzled. Who had managed to offend the Inspector this time?
Though the Inspector's rank was not as high as the Director or Deputy Director, she wielded the authority over inspections and rectifications, making her someone the major martial arts halls preferred not to provoke.
"I gathered you all here to discuss something. I heard that the first student from Kaohe Town's Martial Hall to cultivate Essence Qi this year was not given an Opening Acupoints Pill quota by your halls?"
Upon hearing this, four of them were puzzled while the other four vice hall masters suddenly understood.
The puzzled ones had no idea who Lin Chen was, while the informed four had already been briefed by their instructors.
However, admissions were not within the Inspector's purview. What did she mean by this?
"Lord Shu, Lin Chen visited our Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, but our quota was already full," the vice hall master of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall explained after a brief consideration.
"It's the same with our Mantis Martial Arts Hall."
...
The vice hall masters of Mantis Martial Arts Hall, Gale Martial Arts Hall, and Cloud Conceal Martial Arts Hall also stood up to explain the situation. Meanwhile, the other four recalled the student profiles provided by the Martial Affairs Office and remembered who Lin Chen was.
Any Martial Hall student who cultivated Essence Qi within a year would be reported to the Martial Affairs Office, which would then notify the major martial arts halls.
They had glanced past Lin Chen's name without much impression, only vaguely recalling the student upon hearing the four vice hall masters of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall mention him.
It seemed he was a frontrunner in some Martial Hall, but his family background was ordinary.
The other four vice hall masters, recalling Lin Chen's details, realized why the four halls from Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall would have declined him.
In the past, being the first to cultivate Essence Qi in the Martial Hall would have guaranteed a quota, even with an average background, as it represented a town's best, and appearances had to be maintained.
But this year was different. Not only did more than eighty students cultivate in a year, but the Director also established a new rule on martial arts hall competitions, evaluating the top fifty rankings for resource allocation rather than just the top ten.
Before entering the grade, a student's financial capability often signifies potential.
With Lin Chen's family circumstances, he likely couldn't even break into the top eighty, let alone the top fifty, which made no hall willing to waste a quota on him.
Shu Suwan was unsurprised by the explanations, responding calmly, "The report from Kaohe Town's Martial Hall states Lin Chen spent less than twenty taels to cultivate Essence Qi, showing considerable talent in the Martial Path. It seems unreasonable to deny such a student an Opening Acupoints Pill quota."
The vice hall master of Mantis Martial Arts Hall hesitated but eventually spoke up:
"Lord Shu, only Lin Chen himself knows how much silver taels he truly spent on cultivating Essence Qi. If he spent secretly, it's unverifiable. The regulations in town martial halls are inherently lenient."
The words from the vice hall master of Mantis Martial Arts Hall garnered nods of agreement from everyone present.
Martial arts halls never considered how much their students spent on cultivating Essence Qi for it's impossible to prove.
If halls required proof of spending for admissions, students could easily cheat.
Cheating students could ostensibly spend minimally in martial halls while secretly consuming broths or meat to bolster Qi Blood, and the halls couldn't possibly monitor students outside.
"Months ago, I suggested to Lord Su to implement monetary incentives for Martial Hall disciples, and he agreed, reporting it to the Martial Affairs Department of Raozhou Prefecture. Up to today, only Lin Chen has received such incentives per this office's collated information."
Though Shu Suwan spoke nonchalantly, the remarks stirred contemplative expressions among the eight. They began to understand why Inspector Shu cared about Lin Chen.
Both Inspector Shu and Lord Su were newly appointed, and this policy regarding Martial Hall student rewards, to some extent, reflects both their political achievements.
If Lin Chen, the sole recipient of silver taels, did not receive an Opening Acupoints Pill, both Inspector Shu and Lord Su would lose face.
The problem lay therein!
The assembly fell into silence.
"So it seems Lin Chen indeed deserves an Opening Acupoints Pill quota, but our hall's ten quotas are already fully allocated."
"Our quotas at Mantis Martial Arts Hall are also exhausted. This matter is proving quite challenging."
The vice hall masters changed their tune, but now the issue was that their quotas were already distributed. Retracting the quotas from the awarded students wasn't an option.
Such a scenario had never occurred over the years.
"Junior Sister Kong, if I'm not mistaken, your hall should still have a quota."
A man looked at the only female Vice Hall Master present.
"Our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall only accepts female disciples. Although we have more slots, we can't give one to Lin Chen."
Kong Yinglei spread her hands, adhering to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall's rule of not admitting male disciples.
"Inspector Shu, fellow colleagues, I have an idea."
The man questioning Kong Yinglei looked around, and with Shu Suwan's approval, he continued, "This year, over eighty students have cultivated Essence Qi, but there are only eight female disciples, leaving two slots vacant. Junior Sister Kong, am I right?"
"As of today, only eight female disciples have cultivated Essence Qi and enrolled in the martial arts hall." Kong Yinglei nodded.
"Then the matter is easily resolved, Jingshui Martial Arts Hall can allocate an Opening Acupoints Pill slot to Lin Chen."
"Senior Brother Zhang, our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall doesn't enroll male disciples." Kong Yinglei frowned, as it had been over a decade since Jingshui Martial Arts Hall last accepted male disciples.
Zhang Songfan smiled slightly, "Lin Chen wouldn't be considered a disciple of Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, merely affiliated with it. As long as another martial arts hall accepts Lin Chen, it's fine."
As Zhang Songfan spoke, several instructors at the scene began pondering, contemplating the feasibility of the proposal.
"Senior Brother Zhang, although the Military Affairs Department doesn't have such a stipulation, it is generally assumed that students who receive an Opening Acupoints Pill belong to that particular hall, your approach might suggest trading the pill quota. As for the Military Affairs Department..."
The conversation halted midway, and Kong Yinglei suddenly stopped.
Glancing at Inspector Shu seated at the head, she suddenly understood.
If this process occurred between their martial arts halls, it could imply a covert sale of the pill quota.
But with Inspector Shu's consent, it became a flexible measure for the benefit of Poyang County's Martial Path students.
Even if the Military Affairs Department knew, they wouldn't object.
"As long as a martial arts hall accepts Lin Chen, he can be temporarily listed under our Jingshui Martial Arts Hall."
Kong Yinglei stopped speaking further; Inspector Shu had gathered them together, and now that there was a resolution, it was naturally something that needed accommodating.
This matter wasn't entirely disadvantageous for the martial arts halls; after all, they had two additional slots, giving one to Lin Chen, leaving one remaining.
Inspector Shu permitted the halls to operate this way, allowing the remaining slot to be exchanged similarly, but if other halls wanted this slot, they would need to provide an exchange of benefits.
This was also the favor Inspector Shu extended to Jingshui Martial Arts Hall, and everyone tacitly understood.
"Inspector Shu, the reason we initially didn't accept Lin Chen was that our Mantis Martial Arts Hall had no Opening Acupoints Pill quota. Regarding Lin Chen, we have always had high hopes, and now that there's a solution, our martial arts hall is willing to recruit Lin Chen."
"Although Lin Chen hasn't been to Seven Stars Martial Arts Hall, we can also recruit him."
"Why are you Seven Stars Martial Arts Hall joining the commotion; can Lin Chen afford the secret medicine?"
"If our Seven Stars Martial Arts Hall can't do it, then can your Mountain Shaking Martial Arts Hall? Lin Chen would likely be beaten to death there if he can't afford medicine for his injuries."
"Lin Chen is actually more suited for our Iron Blood Martial Arts Hall. Don't forget Lin Chen is from Linhu Village; after all, Lord Jiang emerged from Linhu Village."
"So what if he's from Linhu Village? Your Iron Blood Martial Arts Hall regards Linhu Village's students so highly, but after Lord Jiang, you haven't recruited another student from Linhu Village."
...
...
The vice hall masters from seven martial arts halls instantly broke into arguments. Not having to use their martial arts hall's Opening Acupoints Pill quota, Lin Chen suddenly became popular.
If Lin Chen could achieve something noteworthy, the martial arts hall would gain a talented student for free, and if not, they had nothing to lose.
Shu Suwan listened to the instructors' arguments, well aware of their motives.
They wanted to take advantage without bearing the cost of an Opening Acupoints Pill and also to save face, preventing an awkward silence.
"Inspector Shu, Lin Chen first visited Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, indicating his preference for our hall, and his instructor at the Martial Hall, Yu Yongnian, also hails from Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall. We are willing to accept Lin Chen and assume the costs during his affiliation with Jingshui Martial Arts Hall while at the Martial Hall."
Qi He, the Vice Hall Master of Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, after a moment of contemplation, presented his terms.
He understood clearly that when the other martial arts halls spoke, Inspector Shu's expression remained unchanged, indicating that these halls were not where Inspector Shu believed Lin Chen should go.
Considering that Lin Chen first approached Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall and that his instructor Yu Yongnian also came from Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall, it was evident Inspector Shu also felt Lin Chen was suited to Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall.
Since that was the case, not speaking up would seem disrespectful to Inspector Shu.
After Qi He spoke, Shu Suwan smiled, "Very well, then let Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall and Jingshui Martial Arts Hall discuss the specific operational methods for this matter."
With Shu Suwan finalizing the decision, Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall indeed seemed the most appropriate for Lin Chen. As for Lin Chen originally being refused by Clear Wind Martial Arts Hall and now returning, whether he felt awkward about it was not her concern.
For martial arts practitioners, while they don't necessarily need to be broad-minded, those who are narrow-minded and stubborn are certain not to get far.