Entering the Academy

After everyone had received their sandbags, a person stepped forward from the platform.

"I am Chang He, an instructor from the Martial Arts Academy."

"Your assessment today is to carry the sandbag you've received and climb to the summit of Sunset Peak before sunset. Those who succeed will pass. Please note that each sandbag has your name on it; do not mix them up."

He then pointed to the mountain behind them, saying, "This mountain behind you is Sunset Peak. Everyone prepare, the climb begins!"

Everyone rushed towards the foot of the mountain. Wang Hong, carrying the fifty-jin sandbag, didn't feel tired at first. However, after walking for three to five li, the sandbag on his back felt heavier and heavier, and his younger brother, walking beside him, was also breathing more heavily.

"This won't do," he thought. He snatched the sandbag from his brother's back and led his brother to areas with fewer people.

Then, using the excuse of needing to urinate, he slipped into a patch of bushes alone and brought both sandbags into the Mysterious Space. He first emptied the sand and then filled them with straw.

The rest of the journey was much easier. By the time they reached the halfway point, many people had already fallen behind.

A sturdy young man in black, carrying his sandbag, was panting like an ox, his legs heavy. Each step he took was only a small one.

At this moment, two figures, one tall and one short, quickly overtook him from the side. The young man in black saw the taller one carrying two sandbags yet still walking with ease and couldn't help but marvel.

Afterward, many people saw a thin young boy walking with ease, his face not flushed and his breath not heavy, carrying two sandbags and leading a seven or eight-year-old child towards the summit.

Along the way, Wang Hong also saw someone moving even more effortlessly than him. It was a young man in brocade robes, with his hands behind his back, looking leisurely.

Two young men in green followed behind him. One of them carried a sandbag, while the other held a fan, fanning the young man in brocade robes as they walked.

It turned out this person had brought two servants with him, and the servants' sandbags had been discarded at the foot of the mountain long ago. Later, he saw several more people like the young man in brocade robes and became accustomed to it.

"It seems no exam is without its cheaters."

As he neared the summit, Wang Hong again slipped into the bushes and entered the Mysterious Space to refill the sandbags with sand.

His younger brother, carrying the sandbag, asked curiously, "Brother! This sandbag is so heavy. How were you so relaxed carrying two sandbags just now?"

"Your brother here has always been as strong as an ox. If a tiger jumped out right now, I could kill it with one punch."

"You're bragging again. Last time you fought an old, shedding wolf, you got so many injuries."

The brothers reached the summit, chatting and laughing. On the summit, forty to fifty people were already sitting, leaning, or lying down. In short, no one was standing. It seemed Wang Hong wasn't the fastest to reach the summit.

Wang Hong and his brother also found a rock to sit on. After that, more and more people arrived. By sunset, only a little over five hundred people had made it.

At this point, several people dressed as instructors from the Martial Arts Academy came out, gathered these five hundred-plus people, and then checked their sandbags and names one by one. They then distributed a wooden token to each person. With this wooden token, they were officially students of Qingyang Academy.

As night fell, Wang Hong lay on his single bed, too excited to sleep. He had finally entered the legendary academy, and his thoughts drifted, his imagination running wild. Back in Wang Family Village, he had felt that just being able to live like the wealthy landlord would be a life well-lived.

After the sights and sounds of the past few days, Wang Hong's ambition had grown immensely. He felt that even the wealthy landlords were nothing special. Xu Da Sha would show off after eating a chicken leg, and tonight's dinner was one chicken leg per person. Did anyone show off? Then there was this brand-new cotton quilt.

Being a landlord no longer satisfied Wang Hong's desires. Wang Hong felt that in the future, he could achieve the status of a county magistrate.

Tossing and turning, he found it impossible to sleep. He decided to enter the Mysterious Space, as everything he had now was thanks to it.

Excitedly, he did a few somersaults in the air, then used his mental power to control a hunting knife, making it fly through the air. He imagined himself as a legendary immortal, controlling a flying sword to take an enemy's head in an instant.

This was Wang Hong's favorite pastime over the past few months. When he got tired, he would just fall asleep. Sleeping for several hours in the Mysterious Space only took about fifteen minutes in the outside world.

Unbeknownst to Wang Hong, his mental power was also quietly growing because of this.

Qingyang Academy was an officially run academy in the Chu State, primarily responsible for cultivating and supplying talent for the Great Chu State. It was divided into the Civil Arts Academy and the Martial Arts Academy, abbreviated as the Civil Academy and the Martial Academy.

The Civil Academy was based on studying the classics written by ancient sages and scholars, and it was further divided into various categories, such as astronomy, numerology, agriculture, law, and medicine.

The Martial Arts Academy primarily studied internal and external cultivation techniques, the eighteen types of weapons, battle formations, medicine, and military strategy. Some subjects were studied by both the Civil and Martial Academies, such as medicine. The Civil Academy's study of medicine focused on treating illnesses and maintaining health, while the Martial Arts Academy's focus was on treating injuries and trauma. Students of the Civil Academy also learned some archery and riding skills.

However, these high-level subjects had little to do with Wang Hong at the moment. Wang Hong only learned the simplest cultivation technique, the "Basic Eight Forms of Cultivation."

It wasn't that the academy didn't teach him more advanced techniques. It was just that Wang Hong was illiterate and couldn't even distinguish between human meridians and acupoints. Advanced cultivation techniques were all profound and obscure; a slight deviation could lead to a thousand-mile error. Even if they gave him the techniques, he wouldn't dare to practice them recklessly.

The "Basic Eight Forms of Cultivation" was very simple, with only eight movements. Although simple, it could comprehensively exercise every part of the body and was very suitable for beginner martial artists.

Wang Hong stood with his legs shoulder-width apart, his feet turned inward, his toes gripping the ground. He contracted his anus, lifted his buttocks, clenched his teeth, pressed his tongue to the upper palate, and slightly retracted his jaw. His hands were raised to his waist, fingers together, fingertips pointing forward, thumbs up, and then he slowly pushed forward until his palms, elbows, and shoulders were level. Then he flipped his palms down and slowly retracted them.

This was the "Pushing Eight Horses Forward" from the "Basic Eight Forms of Cultivation." After practicing it each time, Wang Hong could feel a slight warmth in his palms and soles. After only three days of practice, Wang Hong felt his entire body's strength had increased significantly.

"Time is almost up, it's time for battle formation drills. Being late means getting whipped."

Wang Hong woke up at Yin hour every day to practice for an hour on his own. Then, at Mao hour, it was battle formation drills, which were mandatory for students of the Martial Arts Academy. Initially, they only practiced battle formation formations, but later they would learn the techniques of battle formation combat.

Wang Hong rushed to the training ground, where many people had already gathered.

"Brother! Why are you only just arriving? I've been here for a while." His younger brother waved at him from afar. Wang Hong walked over. "Little brother, you're so early. Did you practice this morning?"

"Of course, I did. I woke up at Yin hour to practice. I practiced yesterday afternoon and last night too. I'm going to travel the martial world with my sword in the future. I feel like my arms have gotten thicker." As he spoke, he stretched out his arm and gestured in front of Wang Hong. His arm hadn't actually gotten bigger, it was just his younger brother's illusion. His younger brother was also practicing the "Basic Eight Forms of Cultivation," which caused a feeling of swelling in the body after practice.