Half an hour later, around the beginning of the hour of Si, Gu Lin arrived at Shiyang Academy.
This academy was the largest institution of learning in Shiyang County, and also a government-run academy. Scholars cultivated their qi, martial artists trained their martial arts, and all had renowned instructors to teach them. The tuition was thirty taels of silver per year, a huge sum that ordinary families could not afford.
This year, the Gu family had also gritted their teeth to persist. His father worked himself to the bone, all to scrape together the tuition for the next year.
Gu Lin's purpose in coming here was to withdraw from the academy!
With the Merit Book in hand, was he supposed to stay at the academy just because he had nothing better to do?
He headed to the "Huang" Character Room Study Hall.
The academy had over seven hundred students in total, divided into eight study halls: "Heaven, Earth, Mystic, Yellow, Universe, Cosmos, Flood, Wilderness," each with nearly a hundred people.
The Heaven Grade Academy was filled with cultivation elites.
While the worst, the Huang Character Room Study Hall, was without exception filled with those of extremely poor talent.
That wretch Li Qingwu was in the "Heaven" Character Room Study Hall.
Gu Lin searched around but could not find Teacher Zhao, the instructor of the Huang Study Hall, so he could only return to the study hall to wait.
The study hall, which occupied an extremely large area, was in a chaotic mess. Some sat cross-legged in meditation, some punched wooden dummies, some were lovey-dovey with each other, and some were sound asleep.
As soon as he entered the hall, mockery came from all around.
"Gu Jingming, I heard another loyal dog has gathered around Li Qingwu. He's going to fight you for the bone. Aren't you going to fight for your life?"
"Can he compare to Gu Jingming? Gu Jingming's backbone is in Li Qingwu's grip. Who could be more loyal than Jingming?"
"Gu Lin, courtesy name Jingming, titled the number one running dog beneath Li Qingwu's seat, also known as the Squandering Boy."
Teasing voices rose and fell one after another.
Gu Lin's face was expressionless as he found his seat and sat down.
Why should he care?
With the Merit Book, his future was not in this tiny patch of ground, but on the most dazzling stage of the Yuhua Divine Dynasty!
"Jingming, you seem to have changed." A small fatty with a fair, beardless face came over.
His name was Wang Mu, the only son of Manager Wang of the largest silk shop in Shiyang Academy, and one of Gu Lin's few friends.
Wang Mu looked at Gu Lin with a slightly puzzled expression.
In the past, Gu Lin walked with a hunched back, lacking any bearing. On one hand, it was low self-esteem; on the other, it was his eye condition, which made him habitually look down at the road.
Now Gu Lin stood straight as a pine, strolling leisurely, with an extraordinary bearing!
Gu Lin did not respond, but asked instead: "Where is Teacher Zhao?"
He was eager to complete the withdrawal procedures.
The little fatty answered with a smile:
"You didn't even know that? The Selection Tournament is getting closer and closer. Teacher Zhao is helping out at the Heaven Grade Academy."
"That's right, your head is only filled with Li Qingwu. How would you pay attention to these things!"
Gu Lin nodded and asked casually:
"What Selection Tournament?"
The little fatty took a fragrant piece of dried meat from his drawer, chewed it in his mouth, and then said slowly:
"Of course it's the Four Great Holy Lands Qualification Selection Tournament. The Heaven Grade Academy is going all out to compete for those ten spots. These past few days, Li Qingwu has been asking you for money again, hasn't she? Whether one can leap over the Dragon Gate depends on the Selection Tournament ten days from now."
Four Great Holy Lands?
Hearing this name, even Gu Lin felt deep reverence.
These were not cultivation sects or great clan treasure grounds, but four institutions of immense power in the Yuhua Divine Dynasty.
One Hall!
One Academy!
One Guard!
One Temple!
Martial Extreme Hall, Wendao Academy, Tianxuan Guard, East Temple!
In the Yuhua Divine Dynasty's Twenty-Eight Provinces, every province had these four institutions stationed there!!
Whoever could join one of them, how could it merely bring glory to one's family? That was a leap in class, that was a boundless future!!
Gu Lin grew interested and asked in a low voice:
"Ten Seed Quotas—how many people can actually enter a Holy Land?"
"How many?" The little fatty sneered. He was well-informed and clearly found this question absurd. He said, word by word with pauses:
"If even one person could enter, Shiyang Academy would beat drums and gongs to the heavens, and the Academy Head would hold a grand banquet to celebrate for seven days and seven nights!"
"This year, our entire Chuwei Commandery only has six spots, and Chuwei Commandery governs nineteen counties. Do you know how fierce the competition is?"
"The Ten Seeds are cultivation Heaven's Chosen in Shiyang Academy, but placed in the entire Chuwei Commandery, they are not top-notch at all. Their most realistic hope is to become Knife Catchers!"
Gu Lin continued staring at the little fatty, asking for clarification.
The little fatty spoke endlessly:
"Knife Catchers are departments under the four great institutions of power. They can also draw a court salary and enjoy the protection of the Divine Dynasty's court. The purpose of their existence is to run errands for the Holy Lands. For example, under the Chuzhou Wuji Hall is the Knife Catcher Provincial Office. Knife Catchers are only responsible for serving the Wuji Hall, doing the dirty and tiring work."
Gu Lin asked again:
"Similar to officials and clerks?"
The little fatty shook his head:
"Not to mention that the treatment of Holy Land Disciples and Knife Catchers is worlds apart, just consider: a clerk with outstanding achievements has a chance to be promoted to a petty official and enjoy an official's salary, but a Knife Catcher can never become a Holy Land Disciple. Even if they render great merit, the rules will not be broken."
"Officials and clerks? It's superiors and slaves!!"
Halfway through speaking, the little fatty smiled bitterly:
"We say they are slaves, but the position of Knife Catcher is something countless people dream of. How many Heaven's Chosen would break their heads to become a Knife Catcher, to grow strong under the protection of the Divine Dynasty and the Holy Lands."
"I dream of becoming a Knife Catcher, bringing glory to my ancestors, showing off my power and prestige."
Gu Lin remained calm on the surface, but inside, rivers and seas were churning.
He made a decision in an instant.
He would not withdraw from the academy!
He would participate in the selection. He would compete for one of the Ten Seeds!
He did not dream of becoming a Knife Catcher.
He wanted to enter the Four Great Holy Lands!!
The Four Great Holy Lands were an incomparable match for his Merit Book. Eliminating evildoers earned rewards, but going after evildoers alone was slow, invited retaliation, dragged in his parents, and left him living from hand to mouth.
If one had overwhelming backing, killing someone was just killing someone—what could anyone do to you?
The academy Selection Tournament was only ten days away. These ten days were extremely important!
If he could not even enter the Ten Seeds, then going to Chuwei Commandery City to participate in the Four Great Holy Lands Selection Trial was even more out of the question.
This was the most important goal at present!
"Alright, let's not talk about it anymore." The little fatty seemed a bit tired and said carelessly:
"This is all a fierce dragon-and-tiger struggle in the Heaven Grade Academy. It has nothing to do with us seven study halls. We can just watch the excitement."
"Jingming, let's go. I'll treat you to roast goose."
With that, he left his seat and walked out of the study hall.
Gu Lin followed.
At the academy training ground, dozens of people sat cross-legged, cultivating a fire-element heart method facing the rising sun.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring bamboo forest, a group of handsome men and noble ladies were discussing mysteries and debating the Dao. Everyone's eyes fell on the white-robed Folding Fan Young Master at the head, including Li Qingwu.
Her eyes held autumn waters as she gazed at the noble young master, her gaze extremely tender.
They were all elites of the Heaven Character Room Study Hall!!
Not far away, Gu Lin and the little fatty Wang Mu watched this scene from afar.
The little fatty sighed:
"Tsk tsk, the woman you're infatuated with and deeply love is fawning over Zhao Qilin just like that!"
"I really envy Zhao Qilin. He's like the moon surrounded by stars. He can sleep with whoever he wants. He's also the only seedling in our academy with hope of entering the Four Great Holy Lands!"
Zhao Qilin, named Zhao Yao, titled Qilin Young Master, also known as the one who holds the bull's ear of the academy, Qi Condensation Realm Eighth Layer, leading the entire Heaven Character Room Study Hall by a landslide, first in every subject!
His father was even the County Deputy of Shiyang County, the second-in-command of the County Office.
Of course, the Zhao Family had an even more dazzling figure.
The County Deputy's eldest son, Zhao Can, had risen three years ago and entered the Chuzhou Wuji Hall. He was also the only person in Shiyang County in the past six years to enter a Holy Land!
And next month, the Qilin Young Master also had no small chance of entering a Holy Land.
He was also the only Heaven's Chosen in Shiyang Academy with the possibility of entering.
That meant the Zhao Family would have two supreme figures in one household!
By then, the Zhao Family would wield power over all of Shiyang County, covering the sky with one hand!
Gu Lin could not be bothered to watch the bamboo forest. In his mind, he pondered how to quickly obtain Merit and greatly increase his cultivation within ten days.
"Did you know?" The little fatty paced as he spoke:
"If one can enter a Holy Land through the selection, there is a privilege: one can freely choose three Knife Catcher quotas!"
"This is also why the Heaven Character Room Study Hall all fawn over the Qilin Young Master. If they lose in the Selection Tournament and do not have the qualifications to become a Knife Catcher, then with one word from the Qilin Young Master, they too can leap over the Dragon Gate."
"That Li Qingwu is harboring exactly this thought. She's probably already given her body to the Qilin Young Master."
After speaking, the little fatty tested Gu Lin's reaction.
Unexpectedly, Gu Lin was unmoved. Forget anger—there was not even a trace of emotion.