Under the cover of night, Fang Yun stepped down from the lectern.
Rows of crimson lanterns hung high overhead, still illuminating the entire gathering. Before, their light had resembled dried bloodstains; now, the red glow filling the grounds was like blood coursing in a steady stream, surging onward, like a river of knowledge, like the waters of civilization, pouring into the vast ocean of the Sacred Way and strengthening the human race.
The members of the Medical School who remained seated had undergone a cleansing tempering. Many had fewer white hairs, the wrinkles on their faces had faded, and their literary guts had become even more crystal clear.
The faint smell of blood was gradually replaced by the fragrance of apricot blossoms.
Those who had left had not been eliminated. They were merely foundation stones at the lowest level, submerged beneath water or buried beneath earth. Later generations might never even see a trace of them, yet would always inherit their kindness and eat the fruit of their labor.
Before Fang Yun stepped down from the lectern, an invisible force passed through Ning'an County's Temple of Sages to the Sacred Academy, reaching the Medical Hall directly.
"Dong... dong... dong..."
The great bell of the Medical Hall rang seven times, its echoes reverberating endlessly within the hall. Apart from those belonging to the Medical Hall, only the Saints could hear it.
Inside the Ning'an County Academy, Fang Yun took his seat. Whispers rose everywhere, growing louder and louder until they became an unbroken tide of discussion, debate, and even argument.
As they argued, the eyes of the Medical School scholars grew ever brighter, and their spirits became ever more vigorous.
The fragrance of apricot blossoms grew richer as well.
Several old men silently entered the County Academy, standing behind trees, before