Semi-Puppet Eleven acted completely out of character. He reached out and grabbed Chen Jin by the sleeve, his eyes shining with urgency. He almost dragged Chen Jin out of the room.
He had waited for this moment for far too long.
The two hurried toward the Libationer's residence, one following the other.
The daylight was bright, and more and more students were coming and going around the academy.
At first, no one paid any attention to the unfamiliar, handsome youth with his flowing robes. Then someone happened to catch sight of his unique left eye, shimmering with a deep blue light.
"Th-that's Eleven?" someone asked, stopping in their tracks.
"Impossible, isn't he..."
"But that eye... there's no mistaking it!"
Whispers spread like ripples. More and more people recognized him, yet no one dared approach to make sure.
All they could do was stare in stunned disbelief at the puppet who had once huddled in a corner, head bowed even as he walked. Now he stood tall, his face smooth and clear. Though still silent, his features were bright and composed, as if he had been given a new soul.
Eleven ignored it all. He clutched Chen Jin's sleeve tightly and hurried through the crowd, heading straight for the place where the Libationer usually retreated to cultivate.
The door opened gently. Libationer Jiang Yan was seated at his desk, running a hand over a scroll.
Before he could even look up, Eleven released Chen Jin and strode forward, kneeling before the Libationer once again without hesitation.
This time, he knelt upright and raised his head, allowing the Libationer to clearly see his now-complete face.
Before Chen Jin could explain why they had come, Eleven turned toward the Libationer and bowed solemnly to the ground.
Seeing that Eleven remained kneeling, Chen Jin bowed respectfully to Libationer Jiang Yan and said in a steady voice, "Libationer, the mechanism in Eleven's throat is intricate. Ordinary means won't restore his voice. I'm willing to study the Art of Puppetry, so I can try to cure his affliction with my own hands. I hope you'll allow me to consult the relevant texts and study them in depth."
Jiang Yan stroked his beard and smiled. His gentle gaze swept over his kneeling adopted son, and a trace of pity flickered in his eyes. Then he said to Chen Jin, "The foundation on which Jixia Academy stands is the gathering and sharing of knowledge, and teaching all without discrimination. Anyone who wishes to learn may seek knowledge here. The tens of thousands of volumes in the Library Pavilion are open to you. You may browse to your heart's content."
Then his tone shifted, taking on a deeper meaning. "Besides, most of the Mohists in the academy belong to the Qi Mohists, who are the most hidebound of them all. Since you hold Mo Mei, even without my permission, who would truly dare stop you from studying puppetry?"
At his words, Chen Jin immediately understood the unspoken meaning behind the Libationer's words.
Before Chen Jin could speak, Ren Tu's voice rang in his ear.
Jiang Yan, the current Libationer of Jixia Academy, hopes to open all of the academy's books and texts to you and personally instruct you in the core principles of the various schools of thought, in exchange for the Mohist token Mo Mei in your possession.
Do you agree?
Yanfu Walker, please note: the books and texts in Jixia Academy are Skill Visualization Objects.
By spending Yanfu Points to study them, you can perform skill visualizations. These visualizations may grant you related skills, and visualized skills do not occupy skill slots.
The chance of a successful visualization is related to the strength of the Walker's relevant specializations.
Jiang Yan, the current Libationer of Jixia Academy, is well versed in the scholarship of the Hundred Schools. His personal instruction makes profound teachings easy to understand, allowing even beginners to grasp the deeper principles of the various schools of thought.
After receiving his instruction, you can gain between 1% and 70% proficiency in the scholarship of the Hundred Schools. The exact amount depends on your natural aptitude.
Yanfu Walker, please note: As Libationer, Jiang Yan has many duties. He can personally instruct you no more than seven times per day. Please make good use of this opportunity.
Suppressing his excitement, Chen Jin immediately took the entirely black Mo Mei from his robes and presented it to Jiang Yan with both hands. His manner was utterly sincere.
"You're too kind, Libationer. This is a precious item, and I wouldn't presume to decide its fate on my own. You've generously allowed me to stay here, repaired my equipment, and given me spirit pills. I'm already deeply grateful for all you've done. How could I keep this token and overstep the rules?"
He paused, his voice growing even steadier. "I implore you to take Mo Mei back. I'm willing to study here as a student, devoting myself to learning so that I can grasp the essence of the various schools as soon as possible and help Eleven regain his voice."
Jiang Yan nodded with a smile and gestured for Chen Jin to follow. Then he set off first, leading him toward the Library Pavilion, built into a massive natural rock face.
Even from a distance, it looked magnificent. Up close, it was even more stunning.
The entire Library Pavilion was ingeniously embedded in a steep cliff. Its entrance was a huge cavern, roughly hewn and finished with an axe, both ancient and imposing.
Ancient trees towered outside the cave, and vines hung down. Narrow paths carved into the stone could be glimpsed winding upward toward other hidden caves farther above.
There was no lavish decoration on either side of the entrance, only weathered, mottled bronze lamps standing silently in place.
The light dimmed slightly as they entered, but soft illumination soon sprang to life. It came from the many luminous pearls and spirit-infused minerals embedded in the cave walls, providing steady light that wouldn't damage the scrolls.
The air carried the faint scent of insect-repelling incense and the clean fragrance of bamboo and wood. The temperature and humidity were maintained at just the right levels, clearly thanks to careful arrangements.
Inside the vast natural cavern, countless orderly niches had been carved into the walls, alongside several tiers of heavy wooden shelves. The collection was far larger than one could imagine from outside.
The shelves followed the curve of the rock, stretching layer upon layer into the heights and depths beyond sight, like a maze and an ocean of knowledge.
The books were arranged by category, neatly and methodically, in numbers too great to count:
Confucian School: classics such as the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Book of Music, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, along with many commentaries. Bamboo slips were neatly bundled with leather cords.
Taoist School: works such as the Dao De Jing, the Dao Yuan Jing, the Ten Great Classics, and the Zhuangzi. Some silk manuscripts were stored in jade boxes.
Mohist School: the Mozi, the Mohist Canon, chapters of Preparations for Defending the City, and a great many independent volumes of mechanical blueprints and abridged texts on puppetry, wrapped in specially treated leather.
Legalist School: works such as the Book of Lord Shang, the Shen Zi, the Shen Zi, and the Han Feizi. The weighty bamboo slips exuded a stern air.
Yin-Yang School: works such as Zouzi and the Treatise on the Five Phases' Cycle of Succession, as well as numerous records of astrology, calendars, and omens. Some scrolls even bore intricate star charts and talismans.
Military School: military texts and strategies such as The Art of War, the Wuzi, the Sima Fa, the Weiliaozi, and the Six Secret Teachings, displayed in a separate section.
School of Names: strange, sophistic works concerning the distinction between names and realities, such as the Gongsun Longzi and the Huizi.
Nongjia: books on farming, cultivation, and soil identification, such as Shennong and the Old Man of the Fields.
Diplomat School: strategic treatises such as the Guiguzi, the Book of Su Qin, and Zhang Yi's speeches.
School of Syncretism: works that drew on the strengths of many schools, such as Yin Wenzi and Shizi.
School of Medicine: medical slips and meridian charts, including the Pulse Classic and Examination of Spirit through Five-Colored Pulse.
There were also countless other works that could not be assigned to any single school: unofficial histories, miscellanies, local accounts of strange occurrences, ancient legends, and even poems and folk songs. They filled the place like an endless sea.
Ren Tu's voice rang in his ear:
Yanfu Walker, please note: Of the Hundred Schools, Nongjia is the best fit for an earth-type inheritance.
Jiang Yan's voice rang through the vast, silent Library Pavilion, tinged with pride and solemnity. "The collection here is the crystallization of our people's wisdom and a testament to the flourishing of the Hundred Schools. Young Chen, it is now open to you."
"Where would you like to begin?"
Chen Jin answered without hesitation. "The Mohist School."