Chapter 765: Human Academy

The palace of the Xuanyou Ancient Sovereign is also the current sacrificial ground for the human race. I sense that lamp is there, deep within the Ancient Sovereign Star!

At Ning Yan's residence, outside the pill chamber, Zi Xuan stood by the railing, gazing up at the Ancient Sovereign Star in the distant sky. At this moment, in the twilight glow of the setting sun, the mists around the Ancient Sovereign Star flowed, tingeing themselves with the colors of dusk. It became like a vibrant cloud, where several golden dragons could be seen circling, breathing in and out fortune, exuding a sense of divinity and profound mystery.

"I tried to summon it, but failed. The lamp is held fast by an unshakeable restriction. To retrieve it, I need to enter the Ancient Sovereign Star itself. However, my previous senses detected that some of the seals on the Ancient Sovereign Star are ancient, while others were added later. If I force my way in, it will undoubtedly cause a huge stir. Therefore, to retrieve the lamp without drawing attention, I need an opportunity to enter the Ancient Sovereign Star smoothly!"

Zi Xuan's delicate brows furrowed. Such an opportunity would be extremely rare. The most crucial question was why that lamp was on the Ancient Sovereign Star. However, after glancing at Xu Qing, Zi Xuan decided not to mention it, not wanting to distract him.

Xu Qing remained silent. His gaze followed Zi Xuan's, looking towards the Ancient Sovereign Star, and he fell into deep thought.

Retrieving the ancient lamp from the location Zi Xuan sensed would be extremely difficult, with unpredictable and perplexing results. The place was simply too sensitive, with multiple high-level seals. He couldn't go there. To be precise, throughout the entire human race, only one person currently qualified to enter the Ancient Sovereign Star's interior: the Human Emperor. Only he could open the seals.

Xu Qing's eyes showed contemplation; he had also thought of what Zi Xuan hadn't mentioned. The fact that the lamp was taken and placed on the Ancient Sovereign Star years ago was inherently strange. Working backward, there might be many who could have taken the lamp, but only one person could have placed it on the Ancient Sovereign Star after acquiring it. It might or might not have been the Human Emperor who took it, but it must have been the Human Emperor who placed it on the Ancient Sovereign Star. Therefore, expecting the Human Emperor to grant them the opportunity to retrieve the lamp was clearly unrealistic.

A moment later, after a period of deep thought, Xu Qing suddenly spoke. "There's one other person who can enter the Ancient Sovereign Star!"

Zi Xuan withdrew her gaze and looked at Xu Qing.

"The princess mentioned on the way that besides the Human Emperor, the Crown Prince can also participate in the ancestral sacrifice. However, the human race has not yet established a Crown Prince. If we assist a Crown Prince, and they are willing to help us, we would have a chance to enter the Ancient Sovereign Star."

Xu Qing spoke calmly, turning his gaze from the ancient star towards Ning Yan's ancestral hall, and quietly continued. "I also have a method that might allow me to enter the Ancient Sovereign Star without causing a disturbance, though it requires some preparation. As for your method, I think it would be a bit difficult if it involves Ning Yan, though that child has good character."

At this moment, Ning Yan, having finished his day's cultivation, sat cross-legged in the ancestral hall once more. After a brief rest, determination flickered in his eyes. He resumed his cultivation before his mother's portrait. For him, the insights gained from the Ancient Sovereign Star were a profound experience. Also, his older siblings had almost all gained something; although not everyone became a Heavenly Marquis, they all had insights. Only he had gained nothing. Outwardly, he acted as if he didn't care about it, but deep down, he harbored a trace of unwillingness.

Time passed, and seven days went by. Retrieving Zi Xuan's ancient lamp was not something that could be accomplished quickly; it required careful planning. Xu Qing also informed the Captain, as he knew the Captain had long had his eyes on the Ancient Sovereign Star. Indeed, the Captain showed great enthusiasm for this matter, patting his chest and assuring Xu Qing that he would definitely find a way to handle this important task. As for Zi Xuan, she began her preparations according to the method of summoning. Meanwhile, Ning Yan's cultivation intensity surpassed anything he had shown before; he was in the ancestral hall almost every day, head bowed in practice.

After the revelations from the Ancient Sovereign Star concluded, the entire Imperial Capital gradually returned to tranquility. On the surface, everything restored its calm, like the ebbing tide. The war to suppress the Ping Tian Marquis's clan also progressed smoothly. The involvement of the Blazing Moon Dark Sky clan did not pose as great an obstacle to the human race as anticipated. They seemed merely to be taking a stance, wanting to see how the human race would react. As for the true nature of this situation and how the Human Emperor would respond, Xu Qing did not know.

At this moment, after completing all his immediate tasks and solidifying the Imperial Sword Secret Vault, he chose to go to the Grand Academy. Since he was in the Imperial Capital and qualified for the Grand Academy, Xu Qing wanted to see how much knowledge this human Grand Academy, personally founded by Human Emperor Xuanzhan, truly held. Xu Qing had always respected knowledge, and he clearly understood that the knowledge he possessed was merely a drop in the ocean compared to that of the entire human race. He yearned for more understanding and wished to observe the countless clashes of ideas and schools of thought among humanity.

Thus, on the morning of that day, Xu Qing arrived at the Grand Academy, located in the northern part of the Imperial Capital. The Grand Academy covered a vast area, like a small city. Its central building was a white tower, appearing very tidy, with few figures visible.

Only directly in front of it stood two statues, one old and one young, one tall and one short. The elder wore a long robe, while the youth wore coarse linen commoner's clothes. The elder appeared weathered, full of wisdom, making a cupped-hand salute. The youth was lively, bowing respectfully. They formed a posture of mutual reverence. This symbolized order between seniors and juniors, and the passing down of knowledge. Thus, the youth's bow and the elder's cupped-hand salute signified a pure equality between them, transcending their respective generations. One should not be conceited due to their lineage, nor should there be sectarian views. It also carried a blessing.

These two statues were personally arranged by the Human Emperor to serve as the Grand Academy's gateway. Between them, light shimmered, forming a grand entrance. Compared to the quiet white tower behind it, this gate was constantly bustling with people entering and exiting. Among the comers and goers were both noble and humble individuals. However, the moment they stepped through this gate, their statuses became equal. They were all students.

Nevertheless, rules are rules, and naturally there were some who intentionally revealed their superior status. However, overall, the environment of the Grand Academy largely maintained its original intent due to the presence of Human Emperor Xuanzhan. This was precisely what Xu Qing felt the moment he stepped through the grand gate and entered the Grand Academy.

Inside the grand gate, the core of the Grand Academy was not the empty white tower seen from the Imperial Capital, but a separate dimension. Its interior space was vastly larger than the exterior building, resembling a small city. The architectural style was consistent with the outside, with white towers of varying heights scattered throughout, as if the Grand Academy outside was merely a miniature representation of the true Grand Academy within.

Here, many students were uniformly dressed in coarse linen commoner's clothes, like the statue of the youth, moving among the white towers. Each also wore a mask, and their voices were altered. Genders were difficult to distinguish. All of this was a result of the academy's rules, which transformed them the moment they entered. Their aura was likewise altered, as was their arrival location, which was never fixed. Therefore, theoretically, their true identities could not be discerned.

Xu Qing appeared on the southwest side of the Grand Academy. Walking through the academy, he observed the ceaseless flow of people around him. Some were in groups of three to five, engaged in fervent discussions as they walked. Others walked alone, in a hurry. Still others sat cross-legged in open spaces, seemingly lost in thought.

There were all kinds of people, of every description. The white towers erected throughout the Grand Academy represented different schools of knowledge; the taller the tower, the more people recognized and joined that school. Some school towers were bustling with students entering and exiting, extremely lively. Others were completely ignored by passersby, who glanced at them and moved on. There were even some enthusiastic students standing firmly in front of their own white towers, pulling passersby over to introduce their schools.

"Student, come take a look at our Soul Forging School. The method of soul forging emphasizes the transcendence of the soul. Our physical bodies are merely boats; only by cultivating the soul to its peak can one truly transcend and achieve the might of the Heavenly Dao."

"Among the many schools in this entire academy, our Heaven-Man School is definitely profound. Heaven, Earth, and Mortal are three distinct realms. Join our Heaven-Man School to transform from mortal to earth, then from earth to heaven-man. All things, even plants and trees, can be enlightened."

"An ancient saying goes: 'There are three thousand Daos, with no distinction of strong or weak.' Even plants and trees, though considered 'outer paths,' can pluck stars. Welcome to learn about our Great Plant and Tree School."

As he moved forward, countless similar voices reached Xu Qing's ears. Some even stopped him, enthusiastically introducing their schools to him. There were even ideological disagreements between some schools, leading to lively debates.

Walking here, Xu Qing was initially a little unaccustomed; he had never seen a place like this. He tried entering some white towers. Although he didn't choose to join any, all the knowledge within was openly accessible. Inside, it was like a vast library, allowing Xu Qing to browse and even discuss with others.

Upon observation, Xu Qing was moved. Within the Plant and Tree School, he not only found knowledge he had previously learned but also discovered unique insights. Furthermore, the Soul Forging School's white tower offered cultivation ideas that gave Xu Qing much to ponder. There was also a school called the Taming School, which was very unique. This school didn't tame beasts but rather fortune—the fortune of the human race.

All of this sparked a deep interest and respect in Xu Qing for the Grand Academy. Regardless of whether this knowledge could withstand the test of time, the sparks of thought and inspiration ignited by humanity in this environment were truly a renaissance.

As he continued to explore and learn, Xu Qing also noticed what could be called the largest and most prominent school within the Grand Academy: the Divine Fusion School. Nearly thirty percent of the students had joined this school. This school focused on self-transformation, transplanting the flesh and blood of divine beings into one's body, gradually adapting to and ultimately mastering it. Ultimately, once the entire body was replaced with divine flesh and blood, one would truly possess the abilities of a divine being. Abnormality would no longer be harmful but would become a substance akin to spiritual energy. The ultimate goal of this school was to fuse with divinity, merging with divine flesh and blood to eventually become a god.

The head of this school was a dignified middle-aged man, dressed in robes different from those of the students. Although he wore a mask that obscured his features, his scholarly demeanor was very apparent.

As Xu Qing was observing in front of this school's white tower, its head happened to step out, his calm gaze sweeping across the crowd.

Xu Qing paused. The man's demeanor reminded him of someone he had once known in Fenghai County.