Chapter 6

Puliu Xuan slowly nodded, "Not bad. But do you know why scholars across the land, once they exceed eighteen years of age, can never enter the Academy?"

"I do not know."

Li Ang honestly shook his head, waiting for his teacher to reveal the answer.

The serious expression on Puliu Xuan's face gradually faded, and he softly said, "Because the Academy teaches not only the classics of Confucianism, poetry, and the principles of road construction and agricultural improvement, but also the Dao."

"The true Dao."

"The path of cultivation."

Li Ang's heart suddenly paused, as if he were standing on a cliff path filled with unknown possibilities and dangers, "The path... of cultivation?"

"Exactly."

Puliu Xuan nodded and said, "Flying through the air, riding the clouds, crossing rivers and seas, and even, as in the stories, summoning bronze spheres and flying swords to take the heads of enemies a hundred miles away within a hundred breaths..."

Li Ang subconsciously asked, "Not a thousand miles?"

"Cough, cough."

Puliu Xuan choked, pulled a face, and said seriously, "Not that fast, you must respect the laws of nature."

This... even with flying swords piercing the sky, you're still talking about science? Should we use aerodynamics to improve the shape of the flying swords and increase their speed?

Li Ang continued to admit his mistake humbly and asked Puliu Xuan to continue.

"In short,"

Interrupted by Li Ang, Puliu Xuan couldn't maintain his serious and earnest demeanor, and waved his hand casually, "The rule that those over eighteen cannot enter the Academy is, on one hand, to cut off the foolish dreams of the mediocre, to avoid wasting resources on annual recruitment."

"On the other hand, it's because humans, as the most intelligent of all creatures, endowed with the essence of heaven and earth, have a tiny bit of cultivation talent—spiritual meridians."

"Ordinary people have five invisible and intangible spiritual meridians in their bodies. These meridians can connect with heaven and earth, nurturing the soul. Once they exceed eighteen years of age, all the spiritual meridians will automatically close."

"However, cultivators, before the spiritual meridians close, use various methods to irrigate, cultivate, and strengthen the meridians."

"Let the meridians grow like saplings, continuously drawing spiritual energy from the world, expanding the qi sea, forming a cycle, and thus mastering powers beyond the imagination of ordinary people."

Puliu Xuan said calmly, "Although everyone has at least five spiritual meridians, having five meridians is just the most basic condition. Even with the best qi-drawing techniques and the best blessed lands, one cannot achieve much in a hundred years."

"Those who can officially enter the path of cultivation have more than ten meridians, or at least eight or nine, and the minimum, at least seven complete meridians—this is already a very broad standard. According to the information I saw, more than half of the eligible children in Yu State have seven meridians."

"Spiritual meridians..."

Li Ang pondered for a moment and immediately realized something was amiss. He often read the newspapers and books in Yizhou Prefecture and had never encountered such information.

The information that more than half of the eligible children in Yu State meet the minimum cultivation standard is a state secret. How did Puliu Xuan...

"Curious how I know these things?"

Puliu Xuan picked up the cold tea from the stone table, took a sip, and said calmly, "Fifteen years ago, I came to Yizhou Prefecture alone, became a teacher, and became a close friend of your father."

"Before that, I was actually a professor at the Academy."

"Ah?"

Li Ang opened his mouth in disbelief. The Academy is the highest institution of learning in Yu State, even higher than the Imperial College.

Every student there, after graduation, either enters the six ministries to hold important positions, or joins the military to expand Yu State's territory, or goes into hiding to undertake secret missions that ordinary people cannot know—such as sailing to explore the endless sea to the east and bringing back exotic products from various islands.

The Academy itself is the highest and largest peak in Yu State. Once you enter it, not only will your future career be smooth, but you will also have a powerful network of connections, akin to a fish leaping through the dragon gate.

The status of a professor who has taught the pillars of the empire is beyond words.

"Don't think too much."

Puliu Xuan looked at Li Ang's astonished expression, half amused and half sad, sighed, and gently put down the teacup, saying calmly, "Thirteen years ago, I voluntarily resigned from my position as a professor at the Academy, sealed my cultivation, and returned to my hometown, Yizhou, from Chang'an."

"Last month, the Academy sent a letter, reinstating my professorship."

"Every Academy faculty member has one recommendation slot each year, to recommend a student to bypass the provincial exams and directly go to Chang'an for the Academy's preliminary exams."

Puliu Xuan looked sadly at the fallen leaves on the stone table, gently rotated the teacup, and did not explain why he resigned from his position at the Academy and sealed his cultivation, clearly unwilling to say more.

"I have been friends with your father for many years, and I have watched you grow up. Although you lack talent in poetry and literature, you have a flexible mind, and you might pass the Academy exams."

Puliu Xuan raised his hand to preempt Li Ang's surprise and gratitude, saying, "The recommendation from an Academy professor is just a ticket to enter."

"Whether you succeed depends on your own abilities... and luck."

"Wait here."

Puliu Xuan stood up, walked back into the house, and returned a moment later with a dusty scroll.

Li Ang took the arm-length scroll, waved away the accumulated dust, and asked, "This is..."

"The *Shangqing Linggan Zhang*, the basic textbook of the Academy, used to help students sense their spiritual meridians."

Puliu Xuan said casually, "Actually, once you get to Chang'an, someone will give you these things. This is just a few months earlier than other commoners without backgrounds."

"Those nobles and descendants of noble families have been reciting these things since childhood."

"Just read it and see if you can figure it out."

'Figure it out...'

Li Ang was speechless, opened the scroll, and saw abstruse and obscure text inside.

What is "beginning with the essence of yin, circling around the brightness of yang" or "on the auspicious day of the moon, it reflects in the heart"?

Completely incomprehensible.

"Cultivation entry relies on fate and insight. Don't get stuck on the words, but feel and understand. If you can't even understand this, how can you compete with those noble students who have been cultivating for over a decade?"

Puliu Xuan put on a teacher's demeanor and lectured further.

The Academy's admission criteria are not just about cultivation talent but also include classics, policy questions, and archery. To enter the Academy, you must work even harder.

"Alright, let's go."

Finally, having finished his explanation, Puliu Xuan waved his hand, "By the way, come back in seven days."

"Every year before the Academy's recruitment, they send instructors and assistants to various prefectures to use compasses to find exceptionally talented children—after all, we can't let geniuses be buried just because they can't read or afford to attend the prefecture school."

"At that time, he will use the compass to measure your number of spiritual meridians."

Li Ang, still immersed in the massive amount of information, nodded repeatedly, and only when he walked out of the courtyard gate and onto the bustling street did he realize, subconsciously hugging the dusty *Shangqing Linggan Zhang* closer, and silently quickened his pace toward home.

Walking quickly, he thought, what exactly are spiritual meridians?

Can they be transplanted?