Confucian Dao Academy

Of course, the most important question is: what does this books have to do with the academy?

The Empress quickly provided her answer.

"I intend to establish a Confucian and Confucian Dao Academy as a separate institution among all the academies in the Great Chu. The curriculum of the Confucian and Daoist Academy will consist of the Four Books and Five Classics and Five Classics. At the same time, the state will hold an Imperial Examination every three years, and the content of the examination will also be based on the Four Books and Five Classics. All students of the Confucian Dao Academy will be eligible to participate in the Imperial Examination every three years."

Confucian Dao Academy? Imperial Examination? That's a lot of information...

As we all know, academies are places that train various talents for the country. Therefore, the content taught in academies must be beneficial to the country, society, and individuals. For more than 5,000 years since the founding of the Chu Kingdom, the content taught in academies has hardly changed. They instill the idea of loyalty to the monarch and patriotism, and teach military strategy and combat skills as well as the ability to improve one's own strength. The latter has few restrictions, as long as it can enhance the students' own abilities. However, the former is subject to great restrictions. All books must pass the state's control and inspection before they are allowed to be used as daily study materials for students in various academies.

The fundamental reason is self-evident.

Now, the Empress not only wants to add nine more books, but also to establish a separate Daoist academy, forming its own system. Furthermore, she plans to hold a triennial Imperial Examination for this academy. Doesn't this sound like the Empress is going to set a tone for the Chu Kingdom culture?

Everyone was truly baffled by the Empress's move. However, no one voiced any objection at this time. In fact, as the Empress said, this matter was both significant and insignificant; it wouldn't affect them much, merely adding another Daoist academy to the existing one and sending two teachers to instruct students in the Four Books and Five Classics. The real impact would be on all the students of the Great Chu, though the extent of that impact was still unclear until they actually studied the Four Books and Five Classics.

"The specific rules for the Imperial Examination will be announced soon. Before that, I need to see that all academies within the Great Chu have Confucian Dao Academy, and that new students be recruited to study in these Confucian Dao Academy. Do you all understand?" Gongsun Qiong's face was solemn, and the Empress's majesty was on full display at this moment.

Upon hearing this, although everyone still had doubts, they all rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's decree is gracious."

"In that case, let's draft a charter first and settle the matter of the Confucian Dao Academy. Let Saint Chu take the lead..." Gongsun Qiong waved his hand and dumped all the specific matters of establishing the Confucian Dao Academy on Saint Chu. He then got up and left the main hall with the help of palace maids.

Putting aside his cultivation level, Saint Chu is also the dean of the Zhenguan Academy, so no one would object to him handling this matter.

However, Gongsun Qiong released too little information, and even Saint Chu couldn't quite grasp the Empress's intentions.

The Empress did not inform anyone of this matter beforehand.

"Everyone, go back and read the Four Books and Five Classics first, and then we can discuss the establishment of the Confucian Dao Academy in detail tomorrow," Saint Chu said, rubbing his forehead.

"Yes..." The deans and vice-deans of the academy were also confused. Although the Empress had already set the tone for the Confucian Dao Academy, since the Confucian Dao Academy was to be established and students were to study the Four Books and Five Classics, they, as deans, certainly needed to understand the contents of the Four Books and Five Classics before taking any further action.

Everyone stood up, each put away the Four Books and Five Classics from their plates, and then bid farewell to the Saint Chu before leaving.

Zhou Wuji did the same, getting up to leave.

"Wuji," Saint Chu suddenly called out, stopping Zhou Wuji was about to leave.

"Is there anything else, Dean?" Zhou Wuji turned to look at Saint Chu and asked.

Saint Chu pondered for a moment and said, "I heard a few days ago that the Mysterious Bookstore has a new event that claims to offer people the chance to become immortals. I wonder if Wuji knows about this?"

Ever since Saint Chu was stopped by Yun Qingyang when he went to Dubian Town to capture Ma Feifei, he has been paying more attention to the Mysterious Bookstore. Naturally, he learned about the new activities that had just been launched from his scouts.

If anyone in this world has the deepest Covet to become an immortal, it would be Saint Chu himself. As Peak of the Ninth Stage of Spirit Saint, he already knows that his time is running out, especially now that even the Benevolent Sword can no longer prolong his life, which makes him extremely panicked.

He longed to become an immortal more than Covet else, so upon hearing the news, he was the most excited one. Even though he wasn't sure if it was true, the news kept him awake all night.

"I know, and I even signed up." Zhou Wuji didn't hide it. With the current reputation of Mysterious Bookstore, and the catchy title of this event, it wouldn't be long before the news spread throughout the entire Azure Dragon Continent, so there was no point in hiding it.

Saint Chu was a little surprised, but then he was relieved. He thought that Zhou Wuji lived in Dubian Town and must know more about the Mysterious Bookstore than he did. However, since Zhou Wuji had chosen to sign up, the credibility of the event organized by the Mysterious Bookstore in his mind increased even more.

Seeing that Saint Chu did not ask any further questions, Zhou Wuji bid farewell to Saint Chu and left. Zhou Wuji was not surprised that Saint Chu was interested in this matter. In fact, Zhou Wuji had long expected that Saint Chu would also attend the opening ceremony and sermon event held by the Mysterious Bookstore.

"But... will the shop owner allow him to participate?" Walking in the square inside the palace, Zhou Wuji fell into deep thought, the setting sun gradually lengthening his shadow.

July of the 351st year of the Great Chu Dynasty was destined to be an extraordinary month. First, the new emperor ascended the throne and summoned all the deans of academies within the Chu Kingdom to the capital. Three days later, a message was announced to the world: all academies within the Chu Kingdom would establish 'Confucian Dao Academy'. The curriculum of the 'Confucian and Confucian Dao Academy' was very simple: reading books. The books were from the Mysterious Bookstore that was famous throughout the Great Chu, a total of nine books, collectively known as the 'Four Books and Five Classics'.

Secondly, the Mysterious Bookstore will hold another important event, with its owner Ma Feifei, giving a sermon in Dubian Town on July 15th, imparting the secrets to becoming an immortal!

If the first piece of news affected all students within the Chu Kingdom, then the second piece of news affected all cultivators across the entire Azure Dragon Continent.

For cultivators, the opportunity to become an immortal is like a bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

Especially those cultivators whose cultivation had reached the Spirit Venerable realm or above, regardless of whether they believed it or not, all shouldered their packs and headed towards Dubian Town with expressions of shock.

And then there were those important figures who were rarely seen on ordinary days, the ancestors, all appearing in the world. For a time, Dubian Town became the focus of the entire Azure Dragon Continent.

Meanwhile, Ma Feifei, the instigator of the whole affair, is facing a very troublesome situation.