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​​The late autumn imperial exam for martial arts in the second year of the Kaiyuan calendar reeked of unease.​​

First, the top scholar of the written exam had been severely injured—nearly killed—by the Imperial Preceptor during the palace exam. Then, one of the Three Dukes, the Grand Marshal of TianCe Pavilion, had raged at the Emperor and resigned in fury.

An hour later, the Secretaries of the Three Departments (Rites, Personnel, and War) and the Chief Councillors of the Three Provinces all tendered their resignations simultaneously.

The six trusted ministers who had supported the young Emperor in his early years—now reduced to four after some had taken lesser roles—had left. With these pillars of the court gone, the Great Qin imperial court had truly become a stage for the Emperor's sole authority.

Those with sharp eyes understood: after six years of consolidating power, the Emperor had finally begun to take control.

When the imperial exam results were posted, the former top scholar now lingered at the bottom of the list, a laughingstock across Yujing. For a cultivator who had transcended the mortal realm to fall so low shocked both the martial and literary worlds. Whispers of the Emperor's injustice spread like wildfire.

The once-revered Imperial Preceptor Phoenix also tumbled from her pedestal. The feud between Zhao Xunan, the Zhao family, and her was now common knowledge. People realized the "flawless celestial maiden" they'd idolized was, in truth, an ingrate, vengeful, and cruel-hearted woman.

The Zhengyi Sect, which had been praised for brokering peace and ending wars, saw its reputation plummet. Folk devotees flocked back to the Daoist monasteries, and rumors suggested that within a year or two, the Zhengyi Sect's status in Great Qin might plummet to that of a minor sect.

The chaos caused by Phoenix's whims had exceeded the Zhengyi Sect's worst expectations.

Soon, envoys from the Zhengyi Sect in the Shanhai Secret Realm arrived in Yujing. Their first words to Phoenix were:

"Aunt Li, the Sect Leader commands you to return to the sect. If you fail to appear within ten days, we'll enforce sect discipline!"

Phoenix frowned. "Why summon me back?"

"You haven't completed the hundred-day cultivation. If you abandon it now, all your efforts will be wasted."

"Given your current state, you'll never finish anyway," the envoy added, shaking his head at her confused expression. "These past months, your actions have enraged the people of Great Qin and damaged the sect's reputation. The Sect Leader wants to know—what do you truly aim to achieve?"

"Do you remember the mission you were given when you left the sect?"

Though just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the envoy spoke with the weight of the Sect Leader. Even the proud Phoenix couldn't ignore him. After a moment of thought, she replied carefully:

"I haven't forgotten… but I still don't understand. Why care so much about a bunch of mortal ants?"

"We cultivators should focus solely on our practice. Why fret over worldly fame?"

"The Sect Leader never explained."

The envoy shook his head again, his expression softening. "Some of our elders mentioned that 'the Way is shaped by the collective will of the world.' The mortal realm is an ocean; the Shanhai Secret Realm is clouds and rain. Without the ocean to sustain it, the secret realm would dry up. The sects of Shanhai interfere with mortal affairs to draw sustenance and nourish our foundations."

Phoenix fell silent, then asked, "Why didn't anyone tell me this when I left?"

The envoy hesitated, his tone odd. "Because everyone assumed you already knew."

"We're all natives of Shanhai. You were born and raised in the mortal realm—your blood and bones are tied to it. No one expected you to ruin such a promising situation… especially with those words about 'ants.'"

"Remember—you owe your life to those very 'ants.'"

With that, the Zhengyi envoys bowed and left.

Phoenix sat motionless for a long time, the last two sentences echoing like morning bells.

"Who could have imagined the aftermath of the imperial exam would be so… messy?" the Emperor sighed, setting down his scroll and leaning against his bed. Hongting, his attendant, poured tea.

"The Imperial Preceptor is packing. She'll leave the capital tomorrow. Should I tell her not to bother with formal farewells?"

"After all these years of sisterhood… to part like this?" The Emperor sighed again. Hongting glanced up—never before had she seen the Son of Heaven speak so softly.

"Go to the inner vault. Take out that immortality herb and seal it in a cold jade box. Give it to her. Let's part on good terms."

He waved her away and closed his eyes.

Winter had arrived, but the fates of the top three martial exam graduates remained undecided. Nearly three hundred scholars lingered in Yujing, surviving on meager stipends as juren (successful candidates). Their plight was worse than the literary graduates'—the literary exam, which should have been held in spring, was now delayed to winter, a rarity in Great Qin's eight-hundred-year history.

Only Zhao Xunan remained unbothered. As a Second-Rank official, he cared little for official titles. Wealth? His reputation had soared after the exam; his new collection of sentimental poetry sold like wildfire, silver pouring in. Even Lü Pangzi, the rotund merchant, was overjoyed—though his constant laughter during meals (a result of his "overjoyed leakage") annoyed many.

Zhao Xunan's injuries, once grave, healed rapidly with the help of rare tonics. He felt his spiritual root might even advance further—if not for the lost opportunity to claim his parents' posthumous titles, he might have been content.

So he spent his days fishing with Xiao Nuo'er by the academy's overgrown lake, seeking peace rather than fish.

"Master, why throw the fish back? I was waiting to eat!" Xiao Nuo'er pouted as Zhao Xunan unhooked a lively red carp and tossed it back.

Zhao Xunan chuckled. "I'm tired of braised carp. Let's try catching a bighead carp tonight for a hotpot."

Xiao Nuo'er's face lit up. "Master's cooking is the best—even better than the imperial chefs!"

As they fished, Da Li ran over, nearly tripping. Before he could speak, Zhao Xunan flicked his forehead. "Careless—scaring the fish away just as they're about to bite!"

"Master, the Grand Marshal and three elders are here!" Da Li said, rubbing his head. Zhao Xunan looked up, startled. He'd heard the four had left Yujing but hadn't known their whereabouts—until now.

Zhao Xunan hurried over, bowing deeply. "I'm deeply sorry my personal troubles caused you to resign and travel. If anything had happened to you… I'd never forgive myself."

Grand Marshal Feng Pingbo clapped him on the shoulder. "You're Great Qin's pride—martial and literary. To recover from such injuries in days… your resilience is astounding!"

Zhao Xunan grinned, unsure if it was praise or teasing.

"Master Zhao, must we stand in this cold wind?" Secretary Pu Yangyan of the Secretariat chided, chuckling. Zhao Xunan quickly led them to the elegant Hall of Gatherings beside the library.

"This place has stood for millennia, untouched by time. Truly, the Martial Arts Academy is the first wonder of the mortal realm!" Chancellor Nong Li marveled.

Minister Wen Qi of Personnel nodded. "Compared to the academy's understated elegance, Great Qin's palaces are gaudy and shallow."

"Poets," the Grand Marshal scoffed. "I've visited many times—no frills, just comfort."

As they spoke, Da Li and Xiao Nuo'er returned, having fetched tea. The group laughed as Xiao Nuo'er doted on the tea.

The Grand Marshal pulled out a pouch of wild fruits. "Young Zhao, your luck is unmatched. When Xiao Nuo'er ascends the throne, even the title 'Desert Marsh Imperial Preceptor' will make all fear you."

Zhao Xunan stroked Xiao Nuo'er's head. "Truthfully, when I took her and the Li brothers, I had ulterior motives—the imperial exam. But now… I just want them to live freely. Even if she never becomes empress, that's enough."

The elders nodded. The Grand Marshal grinned. "Do you know where we've been these past months?"

Zhao Xunan shook his head. "The entire Yujing's been asking. Many were worried."

"We went to Mount Tong."

Pu Yangyan's eyes lit up. "You met the Celestial Master?"

To Zhao Xunan, the Celestial Master was nothing short of a god. During the Kunlun Secret Realm's opening, countless cultivators had flooded into the mortal realm, disrupting order. Just as Great Qin teetered on collapse, the Celestial Master had stepped in, stabilizing the dynasty for eight hundred years.

"We didn't just meet him—we stayed in his scripture vault for a month!"

The Grand Marshal beamed, clearly proud. Zhao Xunan envied him—only a day with the master, yet the elders had spent a month? Unfair.

The eldest elder, Secretary Pu Yangyan, studied Zhao Xunan. "The Celestial Master said: 'Heaven's Way shifts; you are the variable. The Martial Arts Academy, a sanctuary for humanity, has slumbered long enough. It's time to awaken.'"

Zhao Xunan's heart raced. He pushed his palm—he'd felt this premonition before. Heaven's Way… shifting?

"The Celestial Master say what I must do?" he asked, voice steady.

The Grand Marshal interjected, "Simple: recruit students, hire instructors, and revive the academy's mission—to educate and civilize. That's all."

Zhao Xunan almost gave the Grand Marshal a thumbs-up. Such refined words from a burly general? Rare.

But doubt crept in. "The academy's vast—larger than four great universities combined. To run it properly, we'd need tens of thousands of students and hundreds of instructors. Servants too. My savings won't cover it. Without imperial funds… it's impossible."

The elders exchanged looks. Minister Wen Qi snorted. "Since when do academies rely on imperial funds? Tuition fees from students—any academy worth its salt makes money. When have they ever spent their own?"

Zhao Xunan flushed. He'd forgotten tuition existed.

The Grand Marshal slammed the table, silencing laughter. "Another matter: though we've resigned, we four still wish to serve Great Qin. We want to teach at the academy—no tuition required. Will you accept us?"

Zhao Xunan rose, bowing deeply. With these elders on board, the academy had a future.

News of the Martial Arts Academy's revival spread like wildfire. On the fifth day of the tenth month in the Kaiyuan calendar, street vendors cried:

"The Martial Arts Academy opens its doors this winter solstice—accepting students nationwide, hiring two hundred martial and two hundred literary instructors with generous salaries. Headmaster: Zhao Xunan, the celestial journeyer and martial cultivator. Appointed instructors include:

—Former Grand Marshal Feng Pingbo of TianCe Pavilion,

—Former Secretary Pu Yangyan of the Secretariat,

—Former Minister Wen Qi of Personnel,

—Former Councillor Nong Li of the Central Secretariat!"