Scholars, Farmers, Soldiers, and Nobles See Him Off; Longsword and Ancient Seal Script Accompany the Journey

"With Brother Qiu gone, I'm going to be quite lonely in the city."

Fang Ziyan looked regretful, and the many Confucian scholars behind him stepped forward to say goodbye.

Since that literary gathering, Qiu Yan's reputation has soared in Wuxin City. His fame has spread far and wide, and he's become quite well-known in the literary circles of Jiannan Circuit, especially for his calligraphy, which has been widely praised. It's rumored that a disciple of a powerful family paid a high price to buy several poems that Qiu Yan had memorized, framing and collecting them—not for the poems themselves, but for the calligraphy!

With fame comes influence. When Qiu Yan leaves Wuxin, even if the Confucian scholars are unwilling, they have to come out to see him off, otherwise it will have a bad influence if word gets out.

These events made a talented man like Fang Ziyan resentful, but he cared more about his reputation, so he still brought the scholars from the post station to see him off.

However, Gu Yanzhi did not come. He had already left the city two days ago.

Upon reaching Qiu Yan, Fang Ziyan bowed respectfully, his every movement measured and graceful. He smiled faintly and said calmly, "Brother Qiu, you made a stunning debut at the literary gathering that day. You should take advantage of your newfound fame to write more pieces. Leaving suddenly now might not be conducive to building your reputation."

His words, though seemingly well-intentioned, were actually a veiled criticism of Qiu Yan, implying that he was only famous for his beautiful handwriting but lacked academic knowledge.

Qiu Yan smiled and ignored it. Whether his knowledge was up to par or not would be revealed in the Imperial Examinations; there was no point in saying more.

Seeing that Qiu Yan had no interest in talking to him, Fang Ziyan a little disappointed. He had already prepared his response, which would allow him to calmly deal with Qiu Yan's response, pointing out the other party's shortcomings while elevating his own status, thus leaving behind an anecdote of clever handling. Now, he had no choice but to give up.

"This Qiu Yan has some composure. He's a formidable opponent. Moreover, he's only been in this city for a short time, yet he's already made friends with some thugs. He's really not to be underestimated."

"Since Brother Qiu has made up his mind, then we wish him a safe journey."

Fang Ziyan knew what was important. He offered his blessings calmly, as if he had forgotten the resentment he felt a few days ago when Qiu Yan stole the spotlight at the literary gathering.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan expressed his gratitude and exchanged a few words with several scholars with whom he had some acquaintance before preparing to leave. Just then, the crowd seeing him off suddenly parted to make way, and Zhao Bingcheng walked over.

"Hmm? Old Mr. Zhao actually came to see Qiu Yan off!"

Upon seeing this, Fang Ziyan and the other scholars quickly bowed. Fang Ziyan was surprised and felt taken aback.

A few days ago, a high mountain fell from the sky, causing chaos throughout the city, but this old scholar did not leave his house, instead rummaging through drawers and cabinets in the courtyard where he was staying.

His servants, pageboys, and even the men sent by the military governor all urged the old scholar to leave, almost dragging him away by force. But Zhao Bingcheng said that if he lost something and couldn't find it, he'd rather be crushed to death by a mountain.

This matter has spread over the past two days. Fang Ziyan never expected that Zhao Bingcheng, whom even the highest mountains couldn't force out, would actually take the time to see Qiu Yan off. This alone is enough to amaze people and shows Qiu Yan's extraordinary status in the old scholar's heart.

The information revealed here ignited a burning jealousy in Fang Ziyan.

On the other side, Qiu Yan also went to meet them.

Zhao Bingcheng was an old Confucian Shu Learning, but he treated Qiu Yan well. Although he had other plans, he had indeed given Qiu Yan some guidance during this period.

"Shen Zhi," Zhao Bingcheng called Qiu Yan by his courtesy name to show his closeness, "I didn't expect you to be leaving today. I've been so busy with worldly affairs these past few days that I almost missed seeing you off."

A hint of worry lingered between Zhao Bingcheng's brows, and his entire demeanor exuded a scattered and heavy aura.

Looking at Zhao Bingcheng, Qiu Yan suddenly said, "It seems that you have something on your mind, sir. But although things are ever-changing, the main principle remains constant. If you remain calm and composed, you may be able to achieve your goals."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a servant rushed over, ran to the old scholar's side, and whispered something in his ear. Zhao Bingcheng's expression immediately changed, revealing a look of surprise and delight.

"It's really found? I never expected to recover what I lost! Now, I can finally give an account to the academy."

After saying that, he turned to look at Qiu Yan, the heavy look in his eyes vanishing, and smiled, "Shen Zhi, you're right. Calm and composed, neither hasty nor chaotic—isn't that how one should act when faced with a situation? Otherwise, being anxious is useless. Your words don't reflect Ma Yang's approach to history, which shows your scholarship has greatly improved and you can apply what you've learned."

Overjoyed at the recovery of his valuable possession, Zhao Bingcheng found Qiu Yan increasingly pleasing to the eye. However, still troubled by some matters, he exchanged a few more words before hastily returning to the city.

Zhao Bingcheng was originally a senior teacher, and now that he's leaving, no one can say he was impolite.

Qiu Yan knew very well why Zhao Bingcheng had rushed back, and he also knew what the other man meant by "lost and found."

A few days ago, Ginseng Baby returned carrying a scroll of Second Sage Manuscript by a near-saint. The owner of that scroll was none other than Zhao Bingcheng. The relics of Sage are extremely precious. The Demon King Shi Jianhui entered the Land of the Divine Remains many twists and turns, all for the sake of obtaining a Sages' Legacy. This shows just how precious it is.

However, Qiu Yan was still puzzled. Such a precious thing, capable of influencing worldly Order, and with a great Grand Confucian by his side, how did he manage to obtain the Ginseng Baby?

However, even after Qiu Yan condensed his Heavenly Soul and was able to transmit his thoughts through his physical body, the Ginseng Baby remained vague and unclear when questioned several times, so he had to give up.

Now that Qiu Yan is leaving the city to return home, he naturally needs to make sure things are settled. So, before leaving, he returned the Earthly Soul. He needs the aura of Sage as a guide to condense a scroll of spirit within his soul, rather than necessarily carrying the physical object with him.

However, what Qiu Yan didn't know was that Zhao Bingcheng's words when he left made Fang Ziyan's face turn ugly and his heart burn with anger.

After all, Fang Ziyan had just subtly pointed out that Qiu Yan's fame was based on his calligraphy, and that his scholarship and knowledge might not be profound. Yet, the old scholar from Shu Learning came forward and, in just a few words, praised Qiu Yan's scholarship as good and his ability to apply what he had learned. This contrast not only angered him but also made him feel jealous and short-sighted.

Several Confucian scholars around looked over. Over the years, they had become very adept at understanding the hidden meanings in verbal exchanges, so they all knew that Fang Ziyan had been outmaneuvered.

Watching Qiu Yan bid farewell to Zhao Bingcheng and turn to leave, keeping some distance from him, Fang Ziyan whispered, "How could Qiu Yan possibly have such insight? He must have rehearsed his words beforehand, deliberately saying them for Mr. Zhao to hear. I know these tricks very well."

Then he chuckled and added, "Besides, although Qiu Yan has gained some minor fame recently, his foundation is ultimately too shallow..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from inside the city. Qi Xin and Yang Dingyuan arrived with a group of noble sons on horseback. When they reached the gate, they all reined in their horses and dismounted.

"Brother Qiu, you're leaving without even informing us. Isn't that a bit unfriendly?"

As soon as he dismounted, Qi Xin walked towards Qiu Yan. People along the way, whether scholars or soldiers, hurriedly made way for him.

Qiu Yan cupped his hands and said, "Brother Qi, you've come too. I heard you were going hunting outside the city, so I didn't want to disturb you. I only left a few letters, which I entrusted to the clerk at the medical clinic for safekeeping, to be given to you later."

Qi Xin laughed and said, "We went hunting to calm our nerves. That day in Shanluo City, if it weren't for the Kitchen God's intervention, we would have been dead long ago. We were still shaken afterward, so we went hunting to relax. But we all came back yesterday. However, you left us a letter, which is really thoughtful. You are indeed a learned person, and you are very worldly-wise."

After exchanging a few words, seeing that it was getting late, Qiu Yan finally bid farewell to everyone, boarded the carriage, and left.

But the car hadn't gone far when it stopped. A group of simply dressed people and farmers had gathered on the road ahead, each holding local produce. They stopped the car, and as soon as Qiu Yan came out, they immediately handed him the produce.

Qiu Yan initially refused, but couldn't resist the crowd and their enthusiasm, and finally accepted a token amount before waiting for the bus to start its journey again.

Where did these people come from?

Fang Ziyan was already losing face because of Qi Xin and the others' arrival. He had just said that Qiu Yan's foundation was still shallow, and immediately powerful and wealthy people came to support Qiu Yan. Anyone would feel embarrassed. Before he could calm down, a group of farmers came. Judging from their appearance, they were also there to see him off.

A well-informed scholar, upon hearing this, said, "Qiu Yan's poem is catchy and widely circulated. It is passed down by word of mouth in the army and in the fields. Many farmers have come to know Qiu Yan's name because of this, so they have come to see him off."

Fang Ziyan's face darkened as he watched the carriage depart.

"That poem again?" He sneered. "Just a publicity stunt. There are some hidden dangers in that poem. Besides, we scholars ultimately have to compete in the Imperial Examinations. Everything else is meaningless."

Having suffered a series of setbacks, Fang Ziyan dared not speak too confidently anymore. He left with just this remark and took the lead in leaving.

Then, the crowd that had come to see them off gradually dispersed.

The carriage bumped along.

Qiu Yan sat in the car.

Suddenly, a noise came from the corner of the carriage, and a long sword leaped out of the air, standing in front of Qiu Yan, its clanging sound ringing out, "Now that we're away from that city, without the interference of Qi and Blood, and with the carriage providing shade from the sun, and you've condensed your Heavenly Soul, you can safely let your Living Soul Spirit Projection. It's a good opportunity for me to teach you some Cultivation Method."

Qiu Yan glanced at the longsword. "You insisted on coming along, you must have some ulterior motive, but you're unwilling to say it outright. How can I trust you? Let's not mention the matter of imparting Cultivation Method again."

"We?" Longsword asked, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

As it was speaking, it noticed that Qiu Yan was looking at a corner of the carriage. The longsword paused, and its senses followed, immediately detecting a slight fluctuation of thought in that corner.

It's actually eight Ancient Seal Script!

Once the Ancient Seal Script was exposed, it took flight and swirled in the air.

Then, a childish voice rang out in the carriage. "Your Swordsmanship, which you praise all day long for cultivating Life Cultivation, is rather narrow-minded. Don't you know that Nature Cultivation is the true and righteous path?"

ps: Thanks to "Jianghu Pingshui" for the reward!