Journey to the Grand Academy

On the back of the Azure Bird, Li Qi could see the scenery of Chang'an more clearly.

Shen Shuibi seemed to really like the chirping baby birds, and was holding them on her lap and playing with them.

Li Qi then stepped out of the streamlined carriage and onto the outside, to a place where he could directly communicate with the Azure Bird.

According to the terminal information, the name of that Azure Bird is Yao Ling.

"Miss Medicine," Li Qi said to Azure Bird as he sat down outside.

"Why did you come here, sir? It's windy outside. I can hear you just as well if you speak from your seat," the Azure Bird said in a clear, melodious voice.

Although she's already a mother, she's still a bird, and her voice is quite beautiful.

"It's not very polite to talk inside, let's talk here. There's a breeze, it'll be nice and cool," Li Qi replied.

Although he was essentially sitting on the roof of an airplane, and the wind outside was incredibly strong, he could easily block it with a little Technique Method, so he didn't actually feel anything.

"Miss Medicine, is your job hard?" Li Qi asked.

"Why do you ask this, sir? But if I had to say, it's actually quite good, much better than back in my hometown," the Azure Bird replied.

"Hometown?" Li Qi asked curiously, "What kind of place is that?"

"In Xingyou... oh, you call it the Outer Realm, right? It's a small place in the Outer Realm, definitely not as prosperous as this Immortal Realm," the Azure Bird said casually.

"Us? How do you know I'm not from outside the realm?" Li Qi immediately realized that the other party's statement implicitly acknowledged that he was not from outside the realm.

Although he is actually him, what did the other party use to make that judgment?

"Haha, sir, you probably don't realize it yourself, but those of you who grew up in the Immortal Realm seem to take your surroundings for granted, as if this kind of city is just a given. We who come from small places don't feel that way," Azure Bird said in a light tone.

"I see." Li Qi nodded, without mentioning that he was also from beyond the realm.

And it's probably much more remote than this Azure Bird.

"You said it's better than staying in your hometown, what do you do there?" Li Qi asked again.

"Haha, look, sir, the fact that you can ask such a question means you are a native of the immortal Immortal Realm. What can you do back home? You don't think that everywhere is as orderly and well-organized as the Immortal Realm, with everyone having their own duties, do you?"

"In my hometown, it's a Savage Wilderness world where the strong prey on the weak. The world is probably at the eighth level, so I'm considered quite strong there. Basically, all I think about every day is becoming stronger, hunting the weak, protecting myself from being killed by powerful beings, and trying to survive as long as possible."

"Our world also has cultivators, but that's basically it. Everyone only thinks about how to become stronger, increase their killing power, and improve their combat power, which is why the immortals from the Immortal Realm call it Savage Wilderness world."

"Later, when the immortals came, everyone realized that cultivation is not just about killing or being killed. That's why I tried my best to move to the Immortal Realm. Although it's not easy to settle down in Chang'an, it's much better than my hometown. At least I don't have to worry about being attacked when I sleep," the Azure Bird said with a low laugh.

"I see that prices in Chang'an are quite low, so why do you say it's not easy to settle down? Look, the money you paid for one trip for me is enough for at least four or five days of normal living, right? You should be able to make three or four trips a day," Li Qi asked again.

He was very curious about how ordinary people in Chang'an lived, such as the female taxi driver in front of him.

This journey is over a thousand miles long, and the price is around eight hundred coins, which is almost an ounce.

"Oh, prices are cheap, of course, but there are other expenses. If you want to cultivate, you need to spend resources, and you also need to save money for the future, right? You can't just live a life where you don't have to worry about food and drink right now, can you?"

The Azure Bird shook its head. "We still need to work hard. If I'm content with just having enough to eat and drink, then I've wasted my time in the Immortal Realm. All the Cultivation Method here can be bought! They're not hoarded, which is much better."

Li Qi nodded.

While basic necessities are not a problem, one still has to strive for cultivation on their own. Indeed, the Tang Kingdom only ensures that these people are not forced by circumstances, but if they want to move forward, everyone needs to work hard; the Tang Kingdom will not feed them.

"And what about your husband? Why did he leave you to raise three children alone?" Li Qi asked again.

"Ah, him? His cultivation is higher than mine, just like... you, sir, both of us are at the eighth rank. He joined the army. Isn't the Divine Dynasty currently at war with the East Sea? The subsidies there are high. Two trips and you can buy Foundation Establishment cultivation method for the children. These are much better than what we use. They were specially invented by the immortals of the Divine Dynasty. Oh my, only two hundred taels! Back home, I wouldn't even dare to dream of such a price. I couldn't afford it even if I sold myself. Now, I can save up for two more years. It's wonderful!" Azure Bird said with a smile, seemingly in a very good mood.

"They've gone to the battlefield?" Li Qi was taken aback.

No way, how can a husband smile while he's on the battlefield?

"No, Miss Yao, your husband has gone to the battlefield. Aren't you worried?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

"Huh? What's there to worry about? He's only an eighth-rank official, he's not qualified to go to the front lines. He's in the transport team. He's a Peng bird, he can carry a lot of things, and they seem to like that."

The Peng bird is also a very powerful demonic creature. It is huge in size, has a trace of the bloodline of the Golden-winged Great Roc, and has also inherited some Divine Ability.

Of course, it couldn't compare to his teacher's mount. His teacher's mount was Kunpeng, which was much stronger than the Golden-winged Great Roc. It was a legendary divine beast, a Peng in the sky and a Kun in the water. It possessed innate intelligence and could no longer be called a demon.

"The transport team? Are they in charge of logistics?" Li Qi asked.

"Yes, responsible for transporting supplies to the front lines. Oh dear, it's a war between the Divine Dynasty and the East Sea. They're not people who cultivate military Cultivation Method. What can an eighth-rank person do?" Azure Bird replied.

"I see." Li Qi nodded.

Then, he chatted with Azure Bird for a while and learned about their family's life.

However, they were all very ordinary.

Use your skills to make a living, work a normal job, and earn money normally.

Through a method that Li Qi could not conceive, Human Path greatly reduced the prices of daily necessities, allowing everyone to live in peace and ensuring that no one would be 'forced by circumstances' under any circumstances.

However, if you want to go further, you need to work hard. You have to be responsible for everything, including new Cultivation Method and materials for cultivation.

In reality, these prices are quite cheap compared to the outside world, and there are plenty of ways to buy them, so there's no need to kill, rob, or search for treasure in ruins.

As long as you don't give up, you can buy these things directly on the market, even if you would otherwise have to risk your life to get them.

Is everyone a dragon?

Perhaps even more powerful.

The idea that hard work always pays off is incredibly motivating.

No wonder everyone can become Dao Pursuer. When pursuing the Way becomes a choice that can effectively gain advantages and significantly improve social status, it will naturally become like this.

Unleash everyone's power, their physical and mental abilities, and then what will it all become?

It will become the foundation of Human Path and nourishment for those at the top of Human Path.

The knowledge and efforts of countless people, and their deductions about Cultivation Method and Human Path, will all become part of the collective wisdom, ultimately transforming into the power of top-tier experts.

At the same time, those who work hard below will also reap the corresponding rewards.

The powerful beings above provide the ordinary cultivators below with sufficient resources and a superior environment.

The ordinary cultivators below contribute their wisdom and thoughts to the great beings, using their numbers and inspiration to explore the possibilities of the 'Dao'.

As long as Human Path continues to expand, Human Path within humanity can attain happiness.

A perfect cycle, a win-win situation, with no losers.

Or rather... the only losers are those who are 'Human Path'.

They will be the source of the materials consumed in this cycle.

As one of the direct enemies of Human Path, Li Qi felt a headache coming on.

Forget it, stopping the expansion of Human Path is a matter for the sorcerers to consider; I shouldn't think about it too much.

Li Qi chatted with Azure Bird until he got off the bus, paid the fare, and then walked away.

Immediately afterwards, he accompanied Shen Shuibi to the clinic.

Contrary to expectations, the clinic was not crowded. The place with the longest queues around was actually the physical examination area.

But thinking about it carefully, it seems quite reasonable.

We are all practitioners, and ordinary headaches and fevers do not require doctors. We can manage them by circulating our qi. Those who need treatment are just ordinary elderly people.

Once one's cultivation reaches the ninth rank, one is immune to all diseases and rarely needs to visit a clinic.

If you're not sick, why would you come to a clinic? What else could you be doing there besides getting a checkup?

For cultivators to come to the clinic, it's either because their cultivation has gone wrong or they've been injured in battle.

This is Chang'an, not a battlefield, so it's unlikely that someone would get injured here. Only those who have suffered physical harm due to mishaps in their cultivation would come to see this place.

That makes perfect sense.

"Luckily, there aren't many people, so we don't have to queue. We've already made a reservation, so let's go straight in," Li Qi said to Shen Shuibi.

"Okay!" Shen Shuibi walked briskly, her expression full of anticipation.

Finally.

The injury, which has been dragging on for so long, can finally heal.

Upon entering the clinic, the first step is to verify one's identity.

Fortunately, the verification is automated, so it's not troublesome.

As you walk in, the aroma of herbs wafts through the air, making you feel refreshed and relaxed.

There are not many doctors, and it is said that most of them have been assigned to the front line. Because the treatment pressure in the Chang'an area is not high, doctors from Chang'an are given priority to be transferred.

The person who received Shen Shuibi was a female physician from the Human Race, who seemed to be of high status and had a cultivation level of five.

The female doctor didn't seem special at all; she was just an ordinary passerby. Although her cultivation level was fifth rank, she wasn't arrogant at all, and spoke in a businesslike tone.

She looked at her terminal and said, "Shen Shuibi, right? I've received a notification that the treatment is expected to last for seven consecutive days. Do you have the time free after that?"

"Everything is ready." Shen Shuibi sat upright like an honest child.

"And who are you?" She looked at Li Qi again.

"I am a family member," Li Qi replied.

"Oh, would the family like to be present to hear the details of this treatment?" the doctor asked.

"Yes." Li Qi nodded immediately.

"Okay, I'll begin." The doctor signed the consent form and nodded.

However, at this moment, Shen Shuibi suddenly spoke.

"Oh, right, Doctor, this is my analysis of the injuries. It should save you some time." Shen Shuibi sat obediently and handed over a Jade Slip.

"Hmm? You also know medicine?" The doctor did not scoff at Shen Shuibi's behavior, but instead seriously accepted Shen Shuibi's Jade Slip.

"I've been researching it on my own for a while," Shen Shuibi said.

"It's very well written... Wait, this technique? With this level of skill, you're already at a professional level. You must have a deep understanding of the Ling Shu Kao."

"I'm glad I could help you. I wrote the 'Ling Shu Kao,' so I'm definitely familiar with it," Shen Shuibi said honestly.

"Huh?!" the doctor raised his voice.

Shen Shuibi stayed at the clinic; the treatment would last for seven days, and it would be continuous.

After hearing the details of the treatment, Li Qi felt relieved and left the clinic. After all, it was a seven-day period, and it wouldn't do to just sit outside and wait all that time.

During this period, Li Qi planned to go and see the scenery of the Imperial Academy for himself.

He had seen most of the information about the Imperial Academy on the terminal many times, but seeing is believing, and he still needed to go and see the place where he would study in person to feel at ease.

According to the information I've gathered, the Imperial Academy won't start for another month.

Every year, the Imperial Academy holds classes for nine months and has a three-month break, including a one-month break for the Lunar New Year and a two-month break in the middle of the year, which is now.

Because most of the students at the Imperial Academy are actually under thirty years old, and very few are over thirty.

The mandatory graduation age for the Imperial Academy was fifty. You had to complete all the courses before the age of fifty in order to graduate.

However, in reality, most people graduate by the age of thirty and don't stay for too long.

Therefore, for these young people, the concept of time has not been blurred by their long lives, and a year is still a long time for them. So, in order to ensure their mental health, a three-month vacation was arranged.

Generally speaking, the older you get, the faster time seems to pass.

When I was a child, a year seemed incredibly long.

As you grow up, you'll realize that four or five years pass in the blink of an eye.

For many high-level cultivators, time is but a blink of an eye; several years or even hundreds of years are nothing more than the blink of an eye.

But for these young people, time still feels slow and long-lasting, so holidays are quite necessary.

Li Qi took advantage of this holiday to study abroad.

It just so happens that I'm starting a new semester and becoming a new student.

After leaving the clinic, he immediately headed to the Imperial Academy.

Since we're already out here, we can just go straight there. It's a bit roundabout, but it doesn't matter.

He took out Liu Shenzhi's name card.

The student said he was in the Second Academy of Refiners.

Perfect timing! I can go and pay them a visit; maybe I can even snag a tour guide.

Set off!

Target: Imperial Academy!

I've got a thousand votes, I owe you all an update. I'll save up over the next few days.