The discussion regarding knowledge continued for some time.
Several proposals were made.
Several were rejected.
Some were noted for future consideration.
Yet the more they talked, the clearer one problem became.
Funding.
Or more accurately-
Scale.
The academy Krishak envisioned was far beyond anything Earth had ever attempted.
It was not a collection of classrooms.
Not a cultivation sect.
Not even a city-sized academy like Eastern Horizon.
It was something larger.
Much larger.
Arun was the first to point it out.
"Master, before we continue discussing rules and systems, we need to answer a simpler question."
He tapped the holographic map floating above the table.
"How big are we actually planning to build this place?"
The room immediately became quiet.
Because that question affected everything else.
Admissions.
Housing.
Resources.
Transportation.
Research facilities.
Security.
Funding.
All of it depended on scale.
Krishak studied the map briefly.
Then spoke.
"How many cultivators currently exist on Earth?"
One of the academy elders answered.
"Approximately four hundred million if we include everyone from the Foundation Realm upward."
Krishak nodded.
Then asked another question.
"How many can Eastern Horizon Academy educate properly?"
This time Rudra answered.
"Directly?"
He thought for a moment.
'Eighty thousand."
The gap was obvious.
Four hundred million.
Versus eighty thousand.
The difference was enormous.
Arun understood immediately.
"You're not planning an elite academy."
Krishak looked toward him.
"No."
Several elders frowned.
One of them spoke.
"Forgive me, but elite academies exist for a reason."
Everyone turned toward him.
The elder continued.
"Resources are limited."
"Teachers are limited."
"Time is limited."
"If we try teaching everyone, quality suffers."
A reasonable argument.
In fact, it was the standard argument used by most major institutions.
Krishak nodded.
"You are correct."
The elder seemed surprised.
Then Krishak continued.
"Which is why we won't teach everyone."
Confusion immediately appeared across the room.
Arun leaned forward.
"Then who are we teaching?"
Krishak pointed toward the map.
"The teachers."
Silence.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
Then Meera's eyes widened slightly.
"Teacher cultivation..."
Krishak nodded.
Now several people were beginning to understand.
"If humanity has four hundred million cultivators..."
Krishak said calmly,
"...then no academy can educate all of them directly."
Simple reality.
Even if they built the largest academy in history, it would still be impossible.
"So we educate those who will educate others."
The room gradually became thoughtful.
Rudra folded his arms.
"A multiplication effect."
"Exactly."
Krishak nodded.
"If we train one thousand exceptional instructors..."
He pointed toward the map.
"And each instructor teaches one thousand students throughout their lifetime..."
The calculations became obvious.
One million cultivators influenced.
"And if those students eventually become instructors themselves..."
Arun slowly smiled.
"The growth becomes exponential."
Now the academy's purpose felt clearer.
It wasn't meant to monopolize education.
It was meant to improve educational quality throughout humanity.
A foundation.
Not a monopoly.
Rohon nodded slowly.
"That also solves another problem."
Several people looked toward him.
"The talent drain."
Rudra immediately understood.
Many elite institutions unintentionally weakened smaller communities.
Talented individuals left.
Never returned.
Eventually entire regions became dependent on a few major organizations.
But if graduates were encouraged to spread knowledge outward
The opposite effect would occur.
Communities would strengthen.
Not weaken.
For the first time that evening, genuine excitement began spreading through the room.
The vision was becoming clearer.
But Tara suddenly raised another concern.
"The academy's location."
Everyone turned toward her.
The formation master pointed toward the mountain region displayed above the table.
"This place is ideal."
Then her expression became serious.
"Which means everyone else will think so too."
Silence followed.
Because she was absolutely right.
The location possessed:
Spiritual veins.
Natural defenses.
Rare resources.
Excellent terrain.
In other words—
It was valuable.
And valuable things attracted attention.
Arun sighed.
"Governments."
Rudra added:
"Corporations "
Meera:
"Independent organizations."
Rohon:
"Greedy people."
The room collectively understood the problem.
The moment construction began-
Powerful groups would become interested.
Some would seek cooperation.
Others would seek influence.
A few might attempt control.
One elder finally asked the question everyone was thinking.
"What will the academy's relationship with governments be?"
The atmosphere became noticeably more serious.
Because this wasn't merely an administrative question.
It was a political one.
For a few moments, Krishak remained silent.
Then he answered.
"The academy will cooperate with governments."
Several people nodded.
Reasonable.
Then he continued.
"But it will not belong to them."
The room became quiet.
Krishak's gaze remained calm.
"Civilizations outlast governments."
Nobody spoke.
Because history repeatedly proved that statement true.
Governments changed.
Empires rose and fell.
Political systems evolved.
But civilization continued.
"The academy's purpose is to serve humanity."
Krishak said.
"Not a nation."
"Not an organization."
"Not a faction."
The room fell silent.
Even Rudra looked thoughtful.
Because that was a difficult principle to uphold.
Yet if they succeeded-
The academy could become something unprecedented.
Not Earth's strongest academy.
Not Earth's richest academy.
But perhaps—
Earth's most important one.
Outside the window, dawn was beginning to approach.
The first rays of sunlight appeared beyond the mountains.
And inside the meeting chamber-
The blueprint of humanity's future continued taking shape, one decision at a time.