Chapter 62

Sitting in front of Yue Heng was the most powerful Dean Huo of Qi County Academy, a seventy-something scholar dressed in a brocade robe adorned with gold and silver threads, his dignified presence making it hard for anyone to look him in the eye. He never parted with his ceremonial staff, and though his face showed signs of age, his voice remained strong and clear.

Although scholars generally held a lower status than other professions, this was mainly because they had fewer achievements on the battlefield. In fact, the state administration still maintained the ancient tradition, with many scholars holding high positions. Moreover, in basic education, except for the Chu Kingdom's highest commander controlling the Chu Kingdom Academy, all other lower-level academies were basically managed by scholars.

The Qi County Academy was no exception. As the chief dean of the Qi County Academy, Dean Huo also served as the head of the Scholar Academy and the chief instructor.

Yue Heng did not dare to show the slightest disrespect. Dean Huo had at least sixteen literary symbols cultivated in his divine palace, and such a person would be a powerful asset on any battlefield, capable of holding off a hundred demon beasts. At the level of a Fifth-Rank Scholar, a scholar's combat ability would see a significant leap, even surpassing warriors of the same rank.

After reviewing the stone tablet, Dean Huo looked at Yue Heng with a complex expression: "Yue Heng, although you were recommended by the Qi County Literary Department to enter the academy, I will not give you any special treatment. You will receive ordinary accommodation and the same education as others. No matter how great your past achievements, the academy will not recognize them. You must start from the basics. Do you understand?"

"Student understands. I have made up my mind that once I enter the academy, I will not be distracted by external affairs and will focus solely on studying the classics. I will not actively cause trouble."

Dean Huo was taken aback but immediately laughed: "How can a scholar be deaf to the world outside? However, for new students like you, dedicating yourself to hard study is indeed the best way to establish yourself."

Yue Heng smiled and replied: "Student is merely expressing my attitude towards entering the academy. I will prioritize learning. Studying history enlightens one's mind, studying poetry makes one wise, studying mathematics makes one precise, and debating makes one eloquent. Student knows that knowledge shapes one's character and will not study in a rigid manner but will apply it flexibly."

"Very well said!"

Dean Huo's face was solemn, and these four sentences greatly surprised him. Even Zhu Jiaoyuan and Wen Xin Yue, who had brought Yue Heng, opened their mouths in amazement, unsure how to comment.

Yue Heng smiled slightly. These were excerpts from Bacon's essay "On Studies," which many people knew.

"Scholar Cui of the Literary Department said you are eloquent and ambitious, and indeed, your reputation is well-deserved. I look forward to your excellent performance in the academy. Follow Mr. Zhu. By the way, Mr. Zhu, please also help Wen Xin Yue with the admission procedures for the Warrior Academy."

Dean Huo's attitude remained calm. Yue Heng's literary talent was indeed unexpected, but that was all. Qi County admitted more than ten geniuses each year, and many of them could not adapt to the environment here, becoming ordinary in no time.

Watching Yue Heng leave, Dean Huo sighed inwardly: "I hope this one does not lose himself. Too many talented people are lost each year..."

Zhu Jiaoyuan handed Yue Heng the stone tablet with his identity information and the literary symbol. The three of them rode in a single-person mobile vehicle made by the Craft Academy, moving swiftly along the winding paths of the academy.

On the way, Zhu Jiaoyuan introduced the structure of the entire Qi County Academy to the two of them. The academy was built on a branch of the Qimang Mountains, and from the foot to the top, it was mainly divided into three important areas.

The first layer was the largest area, including the dormitories of all students from the three academies, the martial practice grounds, the commercial streets, various public Fuxi arrays, and the basic course teaching points of the three academies. This was a low-level area with a large population and a noisy environment.

The second layer was the intermediate and advanced course training grounds for the three professions. Only scholars of the Second Rank and above could enter this layer, which housed the library, the literary symbol research and application center, and the advanced skill and research centers for warriors and craftsmen.

The third layer was the core of the Qi County Academy, containing the meeting rooms of senior instructors, the high-intensity skill training grounds, the Fuxi array research center, and the spirit master passage.

"Mr. Zhu, can these arrays be studied and designed by oneself?" Yue Heng asked with interest.

"Of course. Only a small portion of the existing Fuxi arrays were obtained from the ancient Fuxi temple ruins. The majority were developed, improved, or newly created by scholars based on these arrays. In the Central Yuan world, array research is a particularly important task. A country's mastery of basic arrays determines its success rate on the demon beast battlefield and its overall defensive capability!" Zhu Jiaoyuan said with pride.

Yue Heng was impressed. It turned out that the literary symbols of scholars were just a reflection of individual combat ability. Large-scale defensive battles, attrition wars, and positional battles still relied on the help of arrays. This was an era of resource competition.

"Mr. Zhu, what is the spirit master passage?" Wen Xin Yue asked curiously.

Zhu Jiaoyuan liked this pretty little girl and smiled: "Although the academy has only three public academies, the cultivation of low-rank spirit masters is very important. Some of them receive basic education here. To ensure their safety, the existence of the spirit master passage is necessary."

Both of them were enlightened and marveled that spirit masters were indeed a rare and highly sought-after profession, receiving special treatment wherever they went.

The single-person mobile vehicle stopped in the new student area. According to Zhu Jiaoyuan, this area was built according to the Fuxi Eight Trigrams, and Yue Heng could only roughly identify the different directions without seeing the full layout.

He was about to ask for clarification when Zhu Jiaoyuan smiled strangely: "Yue Heng, welcome to the Qi County Academy. Your cultivation begins now. Entering the dormitory is your first lesson. I will take Wen Xin Yue to the Warrior Academy. Good luck!"

Yue Heng could only watch as Zhu Jiaoyuan left gracefully, then looked at the bustling scholar dormitory area, sighing. Even if the path ahead was a sea of fire, he had to move forward.

"Stop! Are you a new student?" Two senior students wearing Second-Rank scholar robes blocked Yue Heng, their eyes filled with mockery rather than welcome.

Yue Heng bowed: "Yes, seniors, good day."

The two seniors exchanged glances, and the taller one said: "Alright, hand over your spring tribute, and you can go."

Yue Heng inwardly sneered and asked: "Seniors, what is the spring tribute?"

The shorter one immediately turned angry and said unhappily: "Pretending to be ignorant? You come to pay respects without anything? If you want to establish yourself in the academy, the spring tribute is a necessary preparation. After entering, you must obediently clean the dormitory and serve tea and water to the seniors for a year!"

Yue Heng laughed: "I am from a poor family, with nothing but four walls. I could only afford fifteen copies of the 'Book of Songs.' Seniors, you are making it too difficult for me. Where do I have the money for the spring tribute?"

Hearing that Yue Heng had not prepared anything, the two seniors were taken aback. Other seniors passing by laughed loudly, not coming to his aid but stopping to watch the confrontation.

The tall senior, having lost face, became angry and grabbed Yue Heng's chest, saying fiercely: "Boy, are you making fun of us? You say you have no money? How could the academy not give you a gift when you pass the examination? Stop talking nonsense, new student! Open your eyes, this is the Qi County Academy, not your poor and backward place!"

Yue Heng remained calm, allowing the tall senior to grab his collar and smiled: "Even if my place is poor and backward, it is still a county academy. Senior, as a Second-Rank student, do you have the right to speak so arrogantly about a county academy?"

The onlookers were secretly surprised, not expecting this new student to be so stubborn and to seize the loophole in the senior's words to counter sharply!

"You!"

The tall senior was furious and pushed Yue Heng hard, accidentally tearing his shirt and causing the Greedy Beast Bag to fall between Yue Heng and the tall senior.

"Ha! You keep saying you are a poor student, but why do you have a Greedy Beast Bag? Is this being poor? You are asking for death, boy!" The tall senior drew his sword, a faint blue light emanating from his body, indicating he was about to activate his divine palace literary symbol!

Yue Heng quickly glanced around. The others did not show any intention of harming him, mostly looking at the Greedy Beast Bag in surprise. He knew what to do and said calmly: "I swear to the Fuxi deity that I am a genuine poor student. As for the Greedy Beast Bag, it is a gift from someone else. If you like it, Senior, you can take it."

"This..."

The tall senior dared not take the Greedy Beast Bag.

Last year, when he first entered the academy, he was bullied by seniors and had some of his money taken. He went without food for three days, feeling the pain.

Later, he learned that this was a tradition in the academy. Every year, new students would be intimidated and defrauded by seniors, called the spring tribute. It could be more or less, but it was meant to give new students a taste of the academy, making them bow their heads and follow obediently.

However, a Greedy Beast Bag was not a rare poem or a small amount of silver. The smallest Greedy Beast Bag cost over a thousand gold pieces, and most were not for sale, often traded for demon beast materials or beast souls, as no one would refuse such a spatial storage bag.

"Hua Wengfeng, the new student is offering it to you, go take it!" A familiar senior called out with a grin.

"Exactly, oh my, this is a Greedy Beast Bag! What a good spring tribute, what a good opportunity, Brother Hua, are you not going to take it?" Another person chimed in.

The short senior tugged at Hua Wengfeng's sleeve, shaking his head secretly.

This Greedy Beast Bag could not be taken. If Yue Heng dared to swear to the Fuxi deity, he probably was not lying.

If he said the Greedy Beast Bag was a gift from someone, that person must have a reason to give such a valuable gift. Taking the bag today could mean trouble from the mysterious person who gave it tomorrow!

Is a person who gives away a Greedy Beast Bag so easily someone to be trifled with?