Chapter 107: A Hand Can Fight Ten People

Five days later, Qin Mu arrived at Jiangling Commandery. Jiangling Commandery was incomparably more prosperous than the county towns he had seen on his journey. It was a city built almost entirely on a river—not the Yong River, but the Jin River, which is why Jiangling was also called Jinling.

The Jin River flowed rapidly, its waters vast like the sea. Originally, Jiangling Commandery was built on an oasis amidst these expansive waters. However, as boat traffic increased and the city grew more prosperous and crowded, it underwent significant expansion and construction.

At that time, the current Imperial Preceptor served as the Prefect of Jiangling Commandery. Even then, he was a talented and powerful individual, displaying extraordinary capability. He gathered numerous skilled craftsmen and countless cultivators with divine abilities. They drove deep stone piles into the river, each a hundred *zhang* long, totaling over 3,800 piles. The tops of these piles were still thirty *zhang* above the water, allowing large ships to pass beneath and large floods to flow through unimpeded.

The Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace, along with the skilled craftsmen and cultivators, used massive stones to pave roads and divine abilities to stabilize them, thus expanding Jiangling City. This was a colossal undertaking, requiring tens of thousands of cultivators to labor there for ten years to complete the new city.

The new city incorporated light wells below for illumination, which also served for drainage during heavy rains. Additionally, some docks were built beneath the city, connected by winches.

Along the city's edges were various docks, large and small, where ships frequently moored to load and unload cargo.

This place was so prosperous that it was dubbed "Little Capital." However, it drew criticism from the literati and officials of the time, who accused the Prefect of Jiangling Commandery of treason, claiming the newly built Jiangling City severed the empire's dragon pulse, and urged the emperor to execute him.

Others claimed the Prefect had built a "dragon head" on the Jin River, harboring sinister intentions.

After completing this monumental feat, the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace was summoned to the capital. Many assumed the emperor intended to execute him. However, to their surprise, Prince Yanfeng, then the crown prince, greatly admired him. Prince Yanfeng was a man of great ambition and vision. After ascending the throne, he repeatedly promoted the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace, elevating him to the rank of Imperial Preceptor not long after.

Qin Mu had heard these anecdotes from the boatman, unsure if they were true. Nevertheless, the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace's talent and Emperor Yanfeng's wisdom in recognizing and valuing talent greatly impressed him.

Sharing the boat with him were several scholars from Jiangling Commandery. Some were "cold scholars" from impoverished families, while others hailed from wealthy and influential households. Qin Mu inquired and learned that most of them were fellow students from Jiangling Commandery's "Little Schools" and "Great Schools."

Qin Mu was surprised and asked about Jiangling Commandery's Little Schools and Great Schools, only then understanding their significance.

The Little Schools and Great Schools were established by the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace and had already been implemented nationwide.

The Imperial Preceptor told Emperor Yanfeng: "When a person reaches eight years of age, from princes and nobles down to the children of commoners, all shall enter Little Schools. There, they will be taught guiding arts, etiquette, proper conduct, rituals, music, archery, horsemanship, calligraphy, mathematics, cultivation, and foundation building. Based on their talents, they shall be taught according to their aptitude, awakened to their spirit fetus, and break through divine treasures. From these, select students can be chosen to enter Great Schools."

The Imperial Preceptor further told Emperor Yanfeng: "Upon reaching fifteen years of age, from the emperor's eldest and other sons, to the legitimate sons of dukes, ministers, grandmasters, and senior scholars, along with exceptional talents among the common people, all shall enter Great Schools. There, they will be taught divine arts, swordsmanship, rectifying the mind, cultivating oneself, and the principles of governing others, mastering ancient and modern divine arts and scholarship. Great School students shall all be disciples of the Emperor, without needing to depend on sects. Over time, the threat posed by various sects can be eliminated."

The Imperial Preceptor also said: "Upon graduating from Great Schools, one can enter the Imperial Academy. Imperial Academy students will be taught the ways of governance and military command, delving deeply into the Daoist methods to administer the world. Then, the four seas will be peaceful, and the Emperor can rest easy."

Qin Mu was deeply moved. With the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace establishing such a system of education, how could the nation not prosper?

The sects in Eternal Peace found their living space squeezed by the Little Schools and Great Schools, leaving them no room to survive. No wonder they rebelled.

On the boat, Qin Mu took out the arithmetic classic he had bought in Jiangling City and studied it intently, simultaneously writing down primordial solution formulas on paper with a charcoal pencil.

Suddenly, a stout scholar asked, "Brother Qin, are you also heading to the capital for the imperial examination?"

Qin Mu nodded and smiled, "Yes. I plan to seek my fortune in the capital. Is Brother Wei also going for the examination?"

The stout scholar, named Wei Yong, nodded and chuckled, "Earning a degree and entering the Imperial Academy to study extensively is my long-cherished wish!"

Another scholar laughed, "Brother Wei, the Imperial Academy isn't that easy to get into. You're only fourteen, still a Little School student; you can't enter the Imperial Academy!"

Wei Yong sneered, "Are Great School students so impressive? They might not even be able to defeat me and Brother Qin!"

The numerous scholars burst into laughter.

Qin Mu also smiled. Most of the scholars sharing the boat with them were heading to the capital for examinations, aiming to enter the Imperial Academy.

The Great Schools in Jiangling taught only basic swordsmanship and spells, with a limited scope. In contrast, the Imperial Academy in the capital housed millions of books, encompassing everything. Almost all cultivation methods and divine arts from various sects across Eternal Peace were gathered there, making it arguably the empire's highest institution of learning!

Gaining admission to the Imperial Academy was exceedingly difficult. Great School students from all over the country fiercely competed to enter. As for Little School students intending to go to the capital, they typically aimed to enter the Great Schools there. For a Little School student to enter the Imperial Academy was even more challenging; only those exceptionally outstanding might be granted an exceptional admission. Very few Little School students passed the assessment to enter the Imperial Academy each year.

The boatman steered the ship towards the opposite bank.

Qin Mu noticed that the boat used a peculiar alchemy furnace. Flames burned within the furnace, and by simply adding medicinal stones, the spiritual energy released from them would drive the gears above the furnace to rotate. These gears, in turn, spun a huge paddle wheel that turned through the water like a waterwheel, propelling the large ship forward.

The boatman only needed to manage the rudder and control the direction.

Qin Mu marveled, clicking his tongue in wonder. "How could one ever see such strange and exotic things in the Great Ruins?"

Before long, the large ship reached the shore. He and the other scholars disembarked, and without walking far, they arrived at a market for vehicles and mounts.

Qin Mu looked around, growing even more curious. He saw land boats, flying carriages, cranes, earth dragons for rent or sale, and several multi-story boats preparing for departure, emitting billows of smoke mingled with flashes of fire.

"Brother Qin, over here!"

Wei Yong stood beneath one of the multi-story boats, waving to him. A gangplank had been lowered from that ship, and some scholars were already boarding.

Qin Mu walked over and looked up at the multi-story boat, surprise on his face. Wei Yong, being naturally friendly, chuckled, "Land boats are quite bumpy, flying carriages are too expensive, and traveling by crane or earth dragon exposes you to wind and sun. Multi-story boats are much more comfortable, even if they're a bit slower. But the Imperial Academy's selection isn't for a while, so let's take the boat to the capital."

Qin Mu agreed, saying, "What's the price?"

Wei Yong pulled out a flask of wine and laughed, "You're dressed better than I am, and you're worried about the price? Fox sister, I bought you a flask of wine."

Fox Spirit was both surprised and delighted. She stood on her hind legs, formally thanked him, and then took the wine flask.

Qin Mu went to the boat captain to pay the fare. The journey from Jiangling to the capital cost ten Dafeng coins, which wasn't considered expensive. After all, Qin Mu had been accustomed to spending lavishly for the past five days and had no concept of the actual value of a Dafeng coin; he only knew that when he paid one Dafeng coin for food and lodging, the recipient would be overjoyed.

The two men and one fox boarded the ship. Soon after, the multi-story boat was full. A pharmacist and his apprentice activated the ship's alchemy furnace. The medicinal power was converted into magic power and supplied to the bronze beast sculpture at the stern. The bronze beast's gaping maw immediately spewed intense flames, and the multi-story boat slowly ascended into the sky. It gradually adjusted its direction in mid-air, unfurled its sails, and departed Jiangling, heading north.

Qin Mu stood on the deck and looked down. The multi-story boat rose higher and higher, its speed gradually increasing. Jiangling City below was shrinking into the distance, though he could still occasionally see strange objects like flying carriages, flying beasts, and airships taking off from the city, heading towards other destinations. The river surface below was bustling with constant boat traffic.

"Eternal Peace is truly a miraculous place," Qin Mu mused.

He marveled, "Ling Yuxiu said that the Daoist arts and divine abilities in Eternal Peace are advancing by leaps and bounds. It truly seems to be the case."

He could see that Eternal Peace was applying Daoist arts and divine abilities to every aspect of life. The daily lives of ordinary people, from their clothing to food, housing, and transportation, were slowly being transformed. This was quite similar to the Way of the Sage described in the Great Cultivation Demonic Scripture.

The Way of the Sage is found only in the daily lives of the people. Eternal Peace was doing remarkably well in this regard.

A strange thought suddenly occurred to him: "Could the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace also be from my Heavenly Devil Cult?"

Some scholars on the ship were practicing martial arts, their cultivation and strength quite impressive. However, what surprised Qin Mu was that they often cultivated the same martial arts, spells, and swordsmanship.

Qin Mu was puzzled: "If they practice the same spells and swordsmanship, wouldn't it be easy for others to exploit their weaknesses?"

In his opinion, although martial artists were in a foundational realm, extensive learning was also fundamental. If most scholars practiced the same martial art, the same spell, and the same swordsmanship, it would be easy for others to find their flaws.

"I could defeat ten such martial artists with one hand," Qin Mu thought, shaking his head subtly. He continued to study the arithmetic classic. The Eternal Peace edition of the arithmetic classic consisted of ten volumes, which he had already finished reading, and he had organized many primordial solution formulas on paper.

At night, Qin Mu came from his room to the deck, looked up to observe the celestial phenomena, then used primordial solution formulas to deduce and record his calculations on paper.

The multi-story boat traveled for four days, gradually nearing the capital. Most of the scholars on board were visiting the capital for the first time and could hardly contain their excitement, leaning over the railings to peer outside. Suddenly, a violent jolt shook the ship, causing it to tilt in mid-air. Several scholars lost their grip and fell from the boat.

These individuals had not cultivated flying divine abilities. They let out long, drawn-out screams that lingered in the air—the multi-story boat was flying too high, so it would be a while before they hit the ground.

Qin Mu frowned. His legs seemed to be nailed to the ship like two spears. With one hand, he held the drunken Fox Spirit, and with the other, he grabbed the equally drunken Wei Yong, preventing them from being thrown overboard.

Just then, loud laughter erupted from outside the ship. An unimaginably massive python opened its mouth, lined with barbed hooks, and bit down on the stern, tearing at it with force!

Everyone on board was alarmed. The stern had already been bitten off by the giant python. Scholars standing near the stern tumbled from the ship, and several others were swallowed by the python!

On the flat head of the giant python stood a person dressed in a floral robe, adorned with rouge and powder. He was very glamorous, a seductive man, who watched the chaotic scene on the ship with excitement.