The Path of Literary Way Cultivation

Luo River Bank, Jixia Academy.

Literary Qi swirled like flowing clouds across the sky. On the Bluestone Path inside the academy, countless students held the Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art and focused on their studies. Some murmured verses; others swept their brushes across paper. Wherever their brush tips fell, dots of Literary Stars lit up the sky. Feng Luo stood atop the academy's highest lecture platform, thousands of green beams of Literary Qi cascading from him over the students' heads. Looking down at the thriving scene, determination filled his eyes. The Literary Way was just beginning to flourish. It needed a system of ranks and rules, so the Human Race's descendants could advance step by step and its foundations grow ever more secure.

With a wave of his hand, eight lines of gleaming golden characters rose from Feng Luo's fingertips and hung over the academy. Layers of Literary Qi coiled around them, faintly resonating with the laws of the Primordial World. They were the ranks of the Literary Way, which he had established by combining the scholar examinations of the Small World with the cultivation realms of the Primordial World: Commoner Scholar (Earth Immortal), Talented Scholar (Heavenly Immortal), Recommended Scholar (Mystic Immortal), Presented Scholar (Golden Immortal), Hanlin Scholar (Grand Unity Golden Immortal), Great Confucian (Great Luo Golden Immortal), Confucian Sage (Quasi-Sage), and Literary Sage (Sage).

"A Commoner Scholar draws Literary Qi into the body and condenses a seed of literary thought. This is the first step on the Literary Way.

"A Talented Scholar condenses Literary Qi and can create a thousand-character literary weapon, riding the air on its power.

"A Recommended Scholar gathers Literary Qi into a sea, and Righteous Qi can cleanse evil.

"A Presented Scholar forges a seal from literary thought, and their Literary Qi forms a protective aura, comparable to a Golden Immortal's magic treasure.

"A Hanlin Scholar comprehends the mysteries of the Literary Way, and their Literary Qi can manifest wondrous phenomena of Heaven and Earth.

"A Great Confucian unites literary thought with the Dao. Their Righteous Qi fills the universe, and they attain the Daluo Fruit.

"A Confucian Sage commands the destiny of the Literary Way, drawing upon Merit for nourishment to reach the Quasi-Sage realm.

"As for the Literary Sage, its realm is still unknown!"

Feng Luo's voice, wrapped in Literary Qi, spread across the entire Human Race's territory. Every word rang clearly in the ears of all who studied literature. Before he had finished speaking, a brilliant ray of literary light shot into the sky from Jixia Academy. A young student drew Literary Qi into his body, and a seed of literary thought formed between his brows. His aura had already reached the Earth Immortal realm—the first Commoner Scholar of the Literary Way among the Human Race had been born!

This sign immediately sparked a wave of breakthroughs in the Literary Way across the Human Race.

At the academy in Luo Shui City, dozens of well-read scholars drew in Literary Qi at once. Their literary light wove together like a rosy haze, and they all broke through to the Talented Scholar realm, their Heavenly Immortal auras spreading through the streets and lanes.

In a southern city, a scholar with little talent in Martial Way cultivation had studied diligently for ten thousand years. Now his literary thought opened, and his Literary Qi gathered into a sea. He advanced straight into the Recommended Scholar realm, and the pressure of a Mystic Immortal swept the miasma from the surrounding forests. Even in military camps on the Human Race's borders, many soldiers who had abandoned martial cultivation for literature reached the threshold of Commoner Scholar. Their Literary Qi mingled with their Martial Way vitality, making them stronger than before.

The establishment of ranks gave scattered sparks of Literary Qi a place to gather. The Human Race's scholars advanced step by step, and the destiny of the Literary Way intertwined with that of the Martial Way, forming a ten-thousand-zhang golden dragon above the Human Race's territory. Every scale and claw was distinct as it raised its head and swished its tail, breathing out radiant clouds of Merit. Wherever it passed, the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth grew richer. Even the plants throughout Human Race territory were touched by its destiny, and many spirit herbs transformed of their own accord. Life flourished throughout the world.

This vast tide of destiny was even more brilliant than when Feng Luo had attained the Quasi-Sage realm. It swept through the Primordial World like a rising tide, and all who had any connection to the Human Race could clearly feel its awe-inspiring prosperity.

In the Human Race Council Hall, Jiang He stood by the window, gazing at the Destiny Golden Dragon circling in the sky. The Red Dust Pearl at his fingertips grew faintly hot, reflecting scenes of breakthroughs from across the land. He could clearly feel the Human Race's destiny gathering momentum, snowballing at a visible pace. The destiny he had deliberately kept in check had not been fully unleashed, but the opportunity created by the establishment of ranks in the Literary Way had allowed it to grow immensely strong. The gap between the Human Race and the demon race's destinies was shrinking, and they were even beginning to stand as equals.

"With rules for the Literary Way and a direction for the Hundred Arts, the Human Race's roots are finally secure." Jiang He sighed softly and gave an order. "Establish Literary Way Imperial Examinations throughout the Human Race's territory. Hold them every hundred years: Commoner Scholars will test for Talented Scholar, Talented Scholars for Recommended Scholar, and so on, all the way to Great Confucian. Those who pass will oversee academies and literary halls throughout the land, supervising the transmission of the Literary Way. Those of exceptional talent who receive Heaven-Earth Ordination may study at Jixia Academy!"

Heaven-Earth Ordination referred to people of the Human Race who advanced on their own, without guidance from the Human Race's examinations. They were geniuses blessed with the Literary Way's creation by Heaven and Earth!

The first to benefit from the Human Race's surging destiny was its Holy Mother, Nuwa, who lived in Wa Huang Palace.

Amid the chaos of the Primordial World, auspicious clouds swirled through Wa Huang Palace, and the Spirit Spring tinkled softly. Nuwa sat upon a lotus platform, comprehending the Great Dao of Creation, when a warm, rich tide of destiny swept in from the Primordial World. Like a mighty river flowing into Wa Huang Palace, it enveloped her completely. This destiny was bound to her by blood, for it came from the Human Race she had created with her own hands. It was more brilliant and powerful than ever before.

As the Holy Mother of the Human Race, Nuwa's fortunes were bound to theirs: when the Human Race prospered, the foundations of her Dao grew steadier; when they flourished, her cultivation advanced. Their destiny had steadily grown in the past, but always gently. Now, with the establishment of ranks in the Literary Way, it surged like rain after a long drought, nourishing Nuwa's Dao Fruit.

She could clearly feel the Power of Creation within her surging wildly as the destiny nourished it. Her cultivation, which had long remained at the peak of the Quasi-Sage realm, began to stir. The light of the laws around her grew ever denser, and beneath the lotus platform, the faint image of the Creation Green Lotus appeared. The vitality of Heaven and Earth also quickened as her Dao power flowed.

Nuwa slowly opened her eyes, a clear light glinting in them. With a gentle sweep of her hand, Creation Dao patterns intertwined at her fingertips, carrying more of the world's momentum than before. She gazed toward the Human Race, a pleased smile in her eyes, and understood: the Literary Way's rise among the Human Race was no coincidence. It was an opportunity ordained by the Heavenly Dao—and this opportunity had advanced her Great Dao of Creation as well.

By now, the Primordial World was caught in turbulent currents, stirred by the Human Race's transformation. Yet the Human Race's lands remained a scene of flourishing prosperity.

The literary light from Jixia Academy still shot into the sky, and preparations for the examinations had begun throughout the land. Martial academies stood alongside literary academies. The shouts of martial cultivators and the recitation of scholars blended into a scene unlike any other in the Primordial World. The Destiny Golden Dragon circled above the Human Race's territory, ceaselessly nourishing the land and the people who lived upon it.

Feng Luo stood on the lecture platform, watching the students break through one after another and the Destiny Golden Dragon in the sky. His heart was full of emotion. He looked toward the council hall, admiration in his eyes. It was Clan Leader Jiang He's patience and planning that had brought the Human Race's peaceful development today. The rise of the Literary Way was only the beginning of the Human Race's great prosperity.

The Luo River flowed on, reflecting the literary light shooting into the sky from Jixia Academy. Within the Human Race's territory, the tide of the Literary Way's flourishing grew ever more powerful. Martial academies stood in close rows outside academies of literature, and the ringing shouts of martial cultivators mingled with the clear recitation of scholars, weaving a unique rhythm across Heaven and Earth. The Literary Way was no feeble path. Once its ranks were established, its practitioners began to discover methods of defending against enemies unique to their way. They no longer relied merely on drawing in energy to protect themselves. Instead, they wielded literature as a weapon, reason as their blade, and Righteous Qi as their shield.

Today, in a remote forest somewhere beyond the Human Race's territory, dozens of students in blue robes stood at the forest's edge, books in hand. At their head was an old scholar who had just advanced to Hanlin Scholar. His hair and beard were white, Literary Qi gathered within him like a sea, and Righteous Qi swirled around him as if it were tangible. Behind him stood students ranging from Commoner Scholars to Talented Scholars. Their cultivation varied, but all had determined looks in their eyes.

"The demon beasts in this forest have been tainted by miasma and are difficult to tame. Today, we'll cleanse it with the Literary Way and open a safe path for our neighbors." The old scholar's voice was steady. The Heart of Literature Proves the Dao Art unfurled in his hand as Literary Qi flowed at his fingertips. He wrote in the air. "Commoner Scholars, form ranks and write the character 'Still' to raise a literary wall against the beasts. Talented Scholars, write the character 'Clear' and turn it into sweet rain to cleanse the miasma. I'll use my Righteous Qi to suppress their ferocity!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Commoner Scholars recited the Great Learning in unison. Literary Qi surged from their throats, transforming into one gleaming white "Still" after another. The characters layered together to form a literary wall several zhang high. It was as gentle as jade, yet radiated an imposing air that allowed no offense. The Talented Scholars dipped their brushes in the Literary Qi swirling in the air. As they swept their brushes across the page, countless "Clear" characters turned into drops of sweet rain and drifted down through the forest. The dense miasma vanished wherever they fell, dissolving into wisps of black smoke. The old scholar stroked his beard, raised a hand, and recited the Ode to Righteous Qi: "There is a righteous qi between Heaven and Earth, taking countless forms..." His words, wrapped in vast Literary Qi, surged into the forest like a golden flood. Wherever they passed, the demon beasts' savage faces softened. The fierce gleam faded from their eyes, and they all lowered themselves to the ground, daring not to move.

There was no bloodshed in this battle, no clash of magic treasures. The power of words and the principles of Righteous Qi alone subdued the fierce beasts. This was the Literary Way's unique method of combat: calming souls with literature, winning others over with reason, and cleansing evil with righteousness. When word of it reached Jixia Academy, Feng Luo nodded with a smile. This was the strength of the Literary Way. It did not prize killing, yet it could protect an entire region. This was the foundation he had wanted for it.