The study was once again left with only Xu Yanli inside.
He leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.
His mind kept sorting through the various matters: the compulsory education pilot program, the imperial examination reforms, the construction of new schools, the Body Sect's relocation... One thing after another, without end.
And then there was the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, which the Sun Moon Empire would host in five years.
The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.
Back then, the saying had struck him as overly sentimental. Only now, after experiencing it himself, did he understand that it was true in every way.
The more power you held, the heavier the burden you had to shoulder. There was no escaping it.
Xu Yanli opened his eyes and picked up the teacup on the desk, only to find that the tea inside had long since gone cold.
He didn't ask anyone to bring him fresh tea. He simply held the cold cup and drank slowly, one sip at a time.
The tea tasted bitter and astringent.
This was still the best. It was far better than the strange concoctions those nobles came up with.
Setting down the teacup, he rose and walked to the window.
The morning light had fully spread across the land. Golden sunshine spilled into the courtyard, stretching the shadow of the osmanthus tree long across the ground.
A few sparrows hopped about on the branches, chirping without pause.
Looking at the scene, so full of life, Xu Yanli couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at his lips.
Life was a little busier and a little more tiring, but at least things were moving in an ever-better direction.
He turned and walked back to the desk, laying out another sheet of