Shenxiao Palace
Yun Che’s small courtyard, the next morning.
The morning mist had not yet fully dispersed, and Yun Che had already finished a set of basic boxing forms in the open space before the cave dwelling.
He slowly withdrew his stance and let out a long breath of white vapor. In the cold air, it condensed into a thin white line that shot out several feet before gradually dispersing.
“My Foundation Establishment cultivation level is now stable.”
The Imperial Princess is still in her cooldown period, so I can’t slack off in cultivation. Zijun’s cooldown period has already ended, so I’ll go find my Zijun first.
With a thought, Yun Che’s consciousness sank into system space.
『”System, bind Li Zijun.”』
『Command confirmed.』
『Bound target: Li Zijun』
『Last binding ended: the third quarter of the Snake Hour, seven days ago』
『Cooldown period: five days (120 shichen)』
『Current status: the cooldown period has ended. Binding can be performed.』
『Beginning to construct the consciousness channel…』
『Target locked: Li Zijun (location: Xiaoyao Prefecture · Cloud Deer Academy)』
『Channel stabilized. Consciousness projection beginning… 』
The familiar sensation of being pulled away came over him, but this time it was gentler and smoother than the previous two times, probably because he had grown used to it.
The scene before his eyes blurred and spun, then slowly clarified again in a wash of soft blue light.
The moment his consciousness descended, Yun Che first felt the warm, moist air, carrying the fresh scent of plants and a faint smell of ink. Crisp birdsong rang in his ears, and faint morning bells echoed in the distance.
He “opened his eyes”… seeing through Li Zijun’s vision… and found himself standing on a forest path paved with bluestone slabs.
Ancient trees towered on both sides, and morning light filtered through layer upon layer of branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows on the stone slabs. Not far ahead, the outline of buildings with white walls and dark tiles could be seen, with upturned eaves and raised corners that carried a scholarly air.
Yun Che thought, “Oh? Where is this? This isn’t Li Zijun’s bedroom.”
No sooner had he spoken than a gentle voice with a hint of surprise sounded in his consciousness; it was Li Zijun’s original body consciousness:
“Xiao Che, you’re here.”
“Sister Zijun, where is this?” Yun Che asked.
Li Zijun replied, “This is the forest path in Cloud Deer Academy’s back mountain. Its end leads to Mingde Hall, the academy’s largest lecture hall.”
“Mingde Hall?” Yun Che asked. “Why are we here?”
“Today is the academy’s annual New Student Enrollment Day, and the dean invited me to give a lesson to this year’s newly enrolled disciples,” Li Zijun explained, her voice carrying a hint of helplessness.
“I refused several times, but they invited me so sincerely again and again that it really would have been hard to refuse.”
A lecture? For the academy’s new students?
Yun Che’s mind stirred. “I see.”
At that moment, he suddenly remembered something and grew a little flustered.
“Then this lecture… what exactly am I supposed to talk about?
I’ve never been a teacher before.”
“Don’t be nervous.” Li Zijun’s voice was gentle and soothing. “Actually… aside from you, I had never taught a student before.”
She paused, her tone carrying a trace of emotion. “Come to think of it, Xiao Che, you are my first student.”
Yun Che said happily, “Then I am truly honored to be Sister Zijun’s first student.”
“So,” Li Zijun continued, her voice turning more earnest, “this class today also counts as my very first real lesson.
Shall we… finish it together?”
“Together?” Yun Che caught that phrase sharply.
“Yes.” Li Zijun’s tone grew a little lighter. “Just talk about things you’re good at. Believe in yourself, Xiao Che.
Sometimes your unusual way of thinking even gives me new inspiration.
When the time comes, just follow my instructions. Once we reach the lecture hall, I will guide you through the opening and the basic explanation…”
“All right.” Yun Che agreed. “Then later, I’ll follow Sister Zijun’s instructions.”
“Mm.” Li Zijun’s voice held a smile. “Now let’s head to Mingde Hall first. On the way, I’ll tell you the general content of today’s lesson and the basic situation of the academy’s new students.”
Li Zijun explained in his consciousness, “These newly enrolled students are mostly fifteen or sixteen years old, from all over Xiaoyao Prefecture. Some are talented youths selected from mortal kingdoms through the imperial examinations, and some are children of minor cultivation families.”
As Yun Che chatted with Li Zijun, the bluestone path wound forward, the ancient trees on both sides grew sparser, and the outline of the courtyard ahead became increasingly clear.
Yun Che drew closer and closer to Mingde Hall, his heart filled with both nervousness and anticipation.
The closer he got to Mingde Hall, the more different the atmosphere around him became.
At first, only a few students hurried past, all rushing in the same direction.
Gradually, the flow of people grew denser, and the blue-robed students, some clutching scrolls and others carrying cushions, all converged toward Mingde Hall.
After turning the last bend, the sight before him made Yun Che slow his steps slightly.
On the square before Mingde Hall, heads bobbed everywhere and shoulders brushed against shoulders; there were probably several thousand people!
The blue-robed students packed together densely. Some stood on the stone steps and craned their necks to look, some simply brought small stools and sat on the outer edge, and others who could not squeeze onto the square climbed directly onto the nearby corridor railings or rockery stone platforms, just hoping to catch a distant glimpse.
The buzz of discussion and conversation hummed like a market.
“…I heard this female scholar came from Jixia Academy!”
“More than that! I heard this female scholar is both brilliant and beautiful, with an elegant Confucian bearing, and she had already entered the Gentleman Realm before even turning thirty!”
“The Gentleman Realm! I have been in the academy for three years, and I still haven’t seen a great Confucian scholar from the Gentleman Realm come in person to give a lecture…”
“Look at this turnout. Not to mention seats in the inner hall, just squeezing onto the square to stand and listen would already count as good luck!”
Yun Che was surprised. He knew Li Zijun had a noble status and a lofty position in Confucian cultivation, but he had not expected her to cause such a sensation.
It seemed that the name “Jixia Academy” carried even more weight in the hearts of Confucian school disciples than he had imagined. And that was still without revealing that she was a descendant of the Confucian Sage…
Just as he was about to head deeper into the crowd, a round-faced female disciple beside him, who looked only fourteen or fifteen, suddenly tugged at her companion’s sleeve and said in a tearful voice:
“Senior Sister, we came too late… we can’t squeeze in at all! Even the edge of the square is full of people!”
The female disciple called Senior Sister also looked frustrated.
“Who told us we don’t have any backing?
I heard the 108 seats in the inner hall were already reserved by the direct disciples of the major families and the academy elders.
These spots outside were also claimed before dawn… Sigh, it’s all because you slept in this morning!”
The round-faced female disciple’s eyes reddened.
“I-I just wanted to listen to a lecture from Jixia Academy…
My father said that if I could receive even one piece of guidance, it would be better than studying hard for three years… sob…”
Her voice was not loud, but it happened to reach Yun Che’s ears.
He paused and turned to look at the little female disciple who was on the verge of tears.
The female disciple wore an ordinary blue robe, made of fabric much plainer than that of some of the students around her. There was only a wooden hairpin in her hair. Her face was still childish, yet her eyes were full of longing for knowledge.
“Junior Sister,” Yun Che asked through Li Zijun in a gentle voice, “why are there so many people here…?”
The round-faced female disciple looked up, and seeing that it was a strange Senior Sister with a clear, elegant bearing and peerless beauty, she wiped the corners of her eyes and explained in a nasal voice, “Senior Sister, you don’t know?”
“A big shot came to Mingde Hall today!”
“I heard the vice dean invited a female scholar from Jixia Academy! The entire academy was shaken…”
The female disciple beside her also chimed in, her tone excited.
“Exactly, Jixia Academy! Senior Sister, do you even know what Jixia Academy is?”
“That is the holy land of us Confucian scholars! It is the orthodox source of all Confucian schools in the world! Any scholar who came out of there could found a sect of his own!”
She grew more and more excited, then looked toward Mingde Hall and stamped her foot in regret.
“What a pity, what a pity. Our family background is ordinary, and we can’t reserve a seat inside. It’s packed like this outside…”
“It looks like we came here for nothing today.”
The round-faced female disciple’s eyes reddened again.
“I really want to go in and take a look… even if I could only listen to half a class, that would be fine…”