Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Gui Ao, the Holy Son”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun’s victory over the Plague Lord and Illusory Avatar causes his position on the Grand Scholar Hunting List to rise dramatically. Although he is only a Metropolitan Graduate, destroying a Demon Sage’s avatar makes him the clear first-ranked target.
• His Sacred Blood bounty, previously around one hundred drops, climbs rapidly to nearly three thousand. A reward of Great Sage Blood is also added, demonstrating how seriously the demon barbarians now regard him.
• The demon barbarian holy sons discuss how Fang Yun defeated the two avatars:
  • He wrote the Five Wonders Medical Classic, producing two Medical Way phenomena that destroyed the Plague Avatar.
  • He used the Moon God’s Eye to shatter the Illusory Avatar’s Illusory Force.
• The holy sons are shocked that Fang Yun possesses such extraordinary Medical Way ability and may have a connection to the Moon God. Some speculate that the Plague Lord’s defeat resulted from an unfortunate matchup, while others acknowledge that Fang Yun’s preparation, the Temple of Sages’ protection, and the coordinated Human Race attack were decisive.
• Gui Ao, a powerful Dragon Turtle holy son, returns from Mount Ten Thousand Deaths. His arrival dominates the gathering and shifts attention from Fang Yun’s bounty to the threat he personally represents.
• Gui Ao declares that Fang Yun is overrated and vows to kill him. He plans to confront Fang Yun during the upcoming Three Valleys Battle, especially in the Third Valley.
• Gui Ao explains that he returned early because a secret realm connected to the Three Valleys Battle has changed and is immensely valuable to both the demon barbarians and the Human Race. He believes Fang Yun will inevitably participate, giving him a chance to force a confrontation.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun: His reputation changes from that of a promising young scholar to one of the greatest threats facing the demon barbarians. His medical knowledge, Moon God’s Eye, and ability to destroy powerful avatars make even holy sons view him with fear and astonishment.
• Gui Ao: Introduced as an arrogant and exceptionally powerful Demon Marquis of noble Dragon Turtle bloodline. He has killed a Human Grand Academician, Demon Kings, and Barbarian Kings, and possesses tremendous confidence in his own strength. His hatred of Fang Yun, partly motivated by the deaths of demon barbarian elites and his friend Shi Wang, establishes him as a major future opponent.
• The demon barbarian holy sons: Their initial disbelief and mockery toward Fang Yun give way to alarm. Though they try to explain away his victories, they recognize that his growth has altered the balance between the Human Race and demon barbarians.
• The Plague Lord and Illusory Avatar: Their failed assault becomes evidence of Fang Yun’s unusual versatility. The Plague Lord’s defeat is especially humiliating because Fang Yun possessed precisely the Medical Way power needed to counter him.

Significant Themes

• Fang Yun’s rapid rise: His achievements defy expectations based on age and Literary Rank, emphasizing that conventional rankings can no longer contain his potential.
• Fear and changing power balances: The enormous bounty reflects growing anxiety among the demon barbarians and the wider transformation of the Myriad Worlds after the Moon Tree Divine Punishment failed.
• Specialized knowledge as power: Fang Yun’s Medical Way mastery proves that intellectual achievements can directly counter forces associated with Sainthood and reshape military conflicts.
• Pride and underestimation: Gui Ao dismisses Fang Yun despite the evidence of his accomplishments, suggesting that arrogance may lead him into danger.
• Racial rivalry and inherited status: Gui Ao’s pride in his Dragon Turtle ancestry, and the holy sons’ mixed respect and resentment toward him, highlight the importance of bloodlines, prestige, and factional tensions among the demon barbarians.

Character Interactions

• The demon barbarian holy sons collectively debate Fang Yun’s achievements, alternately expressing disbelief, fear, admiration, and attempts to minimize his success.
• An Ape Race holy son defuses potentially dangerous speculation about Fang Yun’s connection to the Moon God.
• When Gui Ao arrives, the holy sons immediately flatter and welcome him, recognizing his superior strength despite private resentment toward his clan.
• The assembled demon barbarians encourage Gui Ao to avenge their fallen comrades. Gui Ao responds by promising to hunt Fang Yun at the Three Valleys Battle, turning general hostility toward Fang Yun into a personal challenge.

Chapter Summary: Chain of Schemes

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Spring Hunt, Gui Ao publicly challenges Fang Yun, taunting him to fight and invoking the Dragon Turtle’s power in the Three Valleys Battle.
• Fang Yun’s bounty on the Grand Scholar Hunting List continues to grow dramatically. It includes enormous quantities of Half-Sage Blood, Great Sage Blood, and eventually a drop of Ancestral God Sacred Blood. Numerous powerful demon clans add extraordinary rewards, making Fang Yun a target even for Half-Sages.
• In Jing Kingdom, Left Prime Minister Liu Shan speaks with his disciple Ji Zhibai about loyalty, morality, and the Sacred Way. Through powerful rhetoric and mysterious influence, Liu Shan persuades Ji Zhibai that opposing Fang Yun is not betrayal but an act of “great righteousness” for the Human Race.
• Ji Zhibai abandons his former sense of obligation toward Fang Yun and embraces Liu Shan’s political agenda. He also reveals his hatred over Zi Zhi’s death and his ambition for Liu Shan, himself, and Zi Zhi to control Jing Kingdom.
• Ji Zhibai explains that he has prepared a series of schemes to undermine Fang Yun when Fang Yun takes office in Ning’an County. The first is an unusual Literary Assembly designed to humiliate Fang Yun and make it appear that his talent has been exhausted; further schemes will follow.
• Fang Yun returns to Spring Garden after the exhausting battles of the Spring Hunt. After reassuring his family and sleeping, he learns that he is now ranked first on the Hunting List and faces an unprecedented bounty.
• Despite the danger, Fang Yun receives encouraging news: twenty-three of the Metropolitan Graduates who fought beside him have advanced to the Hanlin Academician rank, likely because of the effects of his Qi-Recovery Poetry and Medical Way phenomenon.
• The Lei Family questions Fang Yun about the deaths of Lei Li and four others, but Fang Yun ignores them because the Mouth-Sealing Edict prevents them from learning the truth.
• Fang Yun remains hopeful and looks forward to taking office in Ning’an County in half a month.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun: Becomes an even more valuable and dangerous target after the Spring Hunt, but he also gains indirect influence through the advancement of many fellow scholars. Though troubled by the bounty on his life, he remains composed and focused on his upcoming position in Ning’an.
• Ji Zhibai: Under Liu Shan’s manipulation, he undergoes a major ideological shift. He convinces himself that suppressing Fang Yun is a form of loyalty to the Human Race and the Sacred Way rather than personal betrayal. His resentment over Zi Zhi’s death and his ambition for power intensify.
• Liu Shan: Reveals his ability to reshape Ji Zhibai’s convictions through a combination of authority, rhetoric, and supernatural influence. He presents himself as synonymous with the Human Race and the Sacred Way, justifying violence and political manipulation as moral necessities.
• Gui Ao: Establishes himself as an aggressive rival who openly provokes Fang Yun and hints at a future confrontation.
• The Spring Hunt participants: More than twenty achieve major breakthroughs after fighting alongside Fang Yun, demonstrating the lasting impact of his poetry and Medical Way achievements.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation of morality: Liu Shan reframes personal loyalty and gratitude as “petty” virtues, replacing them with an abstract concept of great righteousness that serves his political goals.
• The danger of ideological fanaticism: Ji Zhibai suppresses his guilt by convincing himself that ambition and betrayal are necessary sacrifices for the Human Race.
• Talent and influence: Fang Yun’s creations benefit others even when he is not directly present, showing that his influence extends beyond personal power.
• Political struggle and schemes: Fang Yun’s appointment to Ning’an is portrayed as the beginning of a carefully planned campaign to weaken and humiliate him.
• The cost of greatness: Fang Yun’s extraordinary achievements bring both admiration and danger, placing an enormous bounty on him and making him a target of the entire demon world.

Character Interactions

• Gui Ao and Fang Yun: Gui Ao challenges Fang Yun indirectly through a public taunt, setting up future conflict.
• Liu Shan and Ji Zhibai: Their conversation is the chapter’s central interaction. Liu Shan guides Ji Zhibai toward rejecting his bond with Fang Yun and accepting a more ruthless political worldview.
• Fang Yun and his household: Fang Yun reassures his worried family after returning from battle, highlighting his consideration for them despite his exhaustion.
• Fang Yun and the Lei Family: The Lei Family attempts to question him about recent deaths, but he refuses to engage, protected by the Mouth-Sealing Edict.
• Fang Yun and the Spring Hunt scholars: Though not shown interacting directly in this chapter, Fang Yun’s poetry and Medical Way achievements contribute to the advancement of many participants, strengthening his reputation and influence.

Chapter Summary: “Early Spring Literary Gathering”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun becomes so absorbed in answering letters that he nearly forgets the important Early Spring Literary Gathering, attending only after Qiao Juze reminds him.
• The chapter explains the significance of the gathering, which is held during the Rain Water solar term to pray for rainfall and a prosperous harvest. It is traditionally presided over by the monarch and represents the beginning of spring’s major literary events.
• Because Fang Yun achieved an unprecedented victory for Jing Kingdom during the Ten Kingdoms Spring Hunt, he has been selected to present the commemorative poem on behalf of the successful Metropolitan Graduates.
• Fang Yun travels to the imperial palace in a luxurious carriage drawn by a Pure-Blood Dragon Horse, accompanied by Yang Yuhuan, Su Xiaoxiao, Nunu, Ao Huang, and Little Meteor.
• The Dragon Horse’s overwhelming aura stops other vehicles throughout the city, attracting attention and causing Fang Yun some embarrassment. Ao Huang eagerly asks to recite one of Fang Yun’s poems, hoping to gain recognition, but becomes hesitant when reminded of his previous trouble in the palace.
• Upon arriving at the palace, Fang Yun receives an enthusiastic welcome from tens of thousands of scholars, officials, nobles, and citizens. They praise him for making Jing Kingdom first in the Spring Hunt and restoring its national prestige.
• Fang Yun enters through the Left Side Gate, traditionally reserved for the most honored guests. The other participants in the Spring Hunt are gathered there, including four former Metropolitan Graduates who have recently advanced to the Hanlin Academy.

2. Character Developments

• Fang Yun: His growing fame and influence are emphasized. He is no longer merely a celebrated scholar but a national hero and central figure in Jing Kingdom’s rise. Despite the public adoration, he remains modest, composed, and somewhat uncomfortable with the attention.
• Ao Huang: His vanity and playful nature are highlighted. He wants to recite Fang Yun’s poem so that others will praise him, but his memories of previous punishment make him cautious.
• Yang Yuhuan: She remains shy and avoids public attention, lowering the carriage curtain whenever people notice her. Her quiet happiness at Fang Yun’s acclaim reveals her affection and pride.
• Nunu/Little Fox: The creature displays strong attachment to Fang Yun, refusing to leave his arms after not seeing him for several days.
• The Spring Hunt participants: Four Metropolitan Graduates have advanced to Hanlin, suggesting that Fang Yun’s achievements and influence have directly contributed to the rapid growth of other scholars.

3. Significant Themes

• National glory and collective pride: Fang Yun’s success transforms Jing Kingdom’s reputation, giving its people an unprecedented sense of dignity and strength.
• The relationship between literature and governance: Literary gatherings are not merely artistic occasions; they are tied to agriculture, rainfall, political legitimacy, and the prosperity of the entire nation.
• Recognition and public fame: Fang Yun’s overwhelming achievements make him the object of near-universal admiration, while the chapter also shows the burdens and awkwardness that accompany such fame.
• Growth through association with greatness: The advancement of four Metropolitan Graduates to Hanlin reflects Fang Yun’s ability to inspire and elevate those around him.
• Family, companionship, and affection: Despite his public status, Fang Yun’s journey is framed by warm interactions with his family and companions, grounding him amid national celebration.

4. Character Interactions

• Qiao Juze reminds Fang Yun of the gathering, preventing him from missing his public duty.
• Fang Yun and Ao Huang exchange humorous banter over who should present the poem, with Ao Huang seeking a chance to show off.
• Fang Yun travels in a relaxed, affectionate atmosphere with Yang Yuhuan, Su Xiaoxiao, Nunu, Ao Huang, and Little Meteor.
• Fang Yun carefully helps Yang Yuhuan from the carriage, demonstrating their closeness and his consideration for her.
• The assembled citizens and scholars greet Fang Yun with gratitude, treating him as a pillar of Jing Kingdom and a hero of the Human Race.
• The gathering of the Spring Hunt participants, especially the newly promoted Hanlin Academicians, demonstrates the broader impact of Fang Yun’s accomplishments on his peers and nation.

Chapter Summary: “Because”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun arrives at the Left Side Gate for the Early Spring Literary Gathering and is greeted by officials from every faction, including the Left Prime Minister.
• He carefully observes the crowd, quickly judging their sincerity, allegiance, and hidden hostility. Ji Zhibai’s subtle change in expression especially catches his attention.
• Fang Yun congratulates four Metropolitan Graduates—Ma Chaoming, He Ludong, Sun Ming, and Shen Hao—on their promotions to Hanlin Academicians.
• The group discusses the newly established Medical School Sacred Land created from the Spring Sun Apricot Grove and Fragrant Orange Well Springs. They also speculate about whether Fang Yun might one day establish a Sacred Land of the School of War.
• He Ludong reveals that he hopes to serve in northern Jing Kingdom, where the Grass Barbarians threaten invasion. Fang Yun praises his courage and jokingly reminds him to collect the Eagle Demon Marshal owed by Zhang Poyue.
• The imperial palace’s main gate unexpectedly opens. An imperial decree announces that it is being opened in honor of Fang Yun and the thirty Metropolitan Graduates, whose achievements during the Spring Hunt have brought unprecedented glory to Jing Kingdom.
• Fang Yun leads the twenty-nine other meritorious graduates through the main gate and into the imperial palace.
• Their seating arrangement is changed dramatically: instead of sitting behind the kingdom’s most powerful figures, the thirty meritorious officials are placed directly beneath Heaven-Serving Hall, in the most honored position.
• The middle-aged Metropolitan Graduates are overcome with emotion. After years of shame and disappointment during the Ten Kingdoms Spring Hunt, they finally feel they have restored Jing Kingdom’s honor.
• As Fang Yun leads them forward, everyone present senses that Jing Kingdom’s future rests on his shoulders. An elderly woman tells her grandson to remember Fang Yun’s back and continue following him, saying that he is showing the Human Race the way.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun demonstrates heightened perception, political awareness, humility, and leadership. He reads the emotions of hundreds of officials, handles factional tensions diplomatically, and accepts the imperial honor on behalf of the entire group.
• Ji Zhibai displays an unexpectedly supportive attitude toward Fang Yun, contrasting with his earlier behavior and suggesting a subtle shift or concealed motive.
• He Ludong is shown to be ambitious but patriotic. His desire to serve in the dangerous north reveals his willingness to defend Jing Kingdom despite the risks.
• Ma Chaoming, Sun Ming, and Shen Hao are elevated to Hanlin Academicians, symbolizing the success and prestige gained through the Spring Hunt.
• The middle-aged Metropolitan Graduates undergo a major emotional transformation. Their former shame gives way to pride, dignity, and renewed confidence.
• The people of Jing Kingdom increasingly view Fang Yun not merely as a talented scholar, but as the leader of the nation’s revival and a guide for the Human Race.

Significant Themes

• Honor restored through collective achievement: The Metropolitan Graduates’ new position represents Jing Kingdom’s recovery from years of humiliation.
• Leadership and national destiny: Fang Yun’s leadership is portrayed as carrying the future of Jing Kingdom and possibly the Human Race itself.
• Recognition of merit: Opening the imperial palace’s main gate and granting the graduates the highest seating honors show how extraordinary accomplishments can overturn traditional hierarchy.
• Hope after prolonged failure: The middle-aged scholars’ tears reflect the emotional release of finally succeeding after repeated disappointment.
• The visible and hidden sides of politics: Fang Yun’s ability to read people, along with Ji Zhibai’s ambiguous behavior, emphasizes the importance of factional maneuvering and concealed intentions.
• Generational legacy: The old woman’s instruction to her grandson suggests that Fang Yun’s influence will extend into the future, with later generations following the path he opens.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun exchanges formal greetings with officials and evaluates their reactions.
• He shares friendly banter with Ma Chaoming and He Ludong about Hanlin celebrations, Sacred Lands, military achievement, and the repayment of Zhang Poyue’s debt.
• Fang Yun encourages He Ludong’s intention to defend the northern frontier, strengthening their mutual respect.
• The thirty Metropolitan Graduates look to Fang Yun for permission before entering the palace, demonstrating their trust and dependence on his leadership.
• Jiang Hechuan helps direct the honored group and appears unsurprised by the imperial welcome.
• The elderly woman’s conversation with her grandson transforms Fang Yun’s personal achievement into a symbol of guidance for the next generation.

Chapter Summary: “Praying for Rain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun and the other thirty Metropolitan Graduates assemble for the Early Spring Literary Gathering, taking their seats according to Literary Rank and examination seniority.
• The Empress Dowager arrives carrying the young monarch and leads a formal prayer-for-rain ceremony on the platform before Heaven-Serving Hall.
• When the ceremony ends without rain, the atmosphere becomes awkward and the Empress Dowager appears displeased.
• Ao Huang unexpectedly transforms into a gigantic golden dragon and summons rain himself. Fang Yun quickly asks him to reduce the intensity so he does not flood the imperial city.
• The rain is interpreted as a favorable omen: the Vice Minister of Rites proclaims that a True Dragon has aided Jing Kingdom, and the crowd praises Heaven’s blessing.
• Afterward, the thirty Metropolitan Graduates receive major rewards for their achievements: promotion by one rank, elevated noble titles, a Metropolitan Graduate Literary Treasure, residences, land, money, and other valuables.
• Their collective political influence grows enormously. Their success threatens to weaken the factions of Left Prime Minister Liu Shan and Prince Kang, since most of the thirty graduates are politically independent.
• At the banquet, the graduates toast the Empress Dowager, the monarch, and one another. They reflect on surviving the deadly Hunting Grounds Battle, especially their encounter with a Half-Sage incarnation.
• Ji Zhibai leads a toast to Fang Yun, crediting him with saving their lives and helping him reach the First Realm of Literary Guts.
• The group then discusses the required opening poem of the Literary Gathering, which must concern both spring and rain. Fang Yun says he has already drafted one, while Ji Zhibai warns him not to underestimate possible rivals.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun: His political and social standing rises even further after receiving special praise and rewards. He remains modest during the toasts but is clearly regarded as the central hero of the group. He also faces heightened literary expectations, as others may try to surpass him through the required poem.
• Ao Huang: Acts impulsively and humorously by summoning rain without permission, but his action ultimately benefits the ceremony and becomes a symbol of Heaven favoring Jing Kingdom.
• Empress Dowager: Initially appears displeased when the ritual fails, but her attitude toward Fang Yun improves after Ao Huang provides the rain. Her role also highlights the limits placed on her authority and ceremonial behavior.
• Ji Zhibai: Shows gratitude toward Fang Yun and acknowledges his life-saving assistance. Although he is politically connected to the Left Prime Minister’s faction, his future study at the Sacred Academy may prevent him from immediately helping that faction gain power.
• The thirty Metropolitan Graduates: Their shared survival and accomplishments deepen their solidarity. They are transformed from successful examinees into a powerful emerging political force.

Significant Themes

• Merit and political power: Extraordinary achievements in service to the state can rapidly reshape officialdom and undermine established factions.
• Ritual versus genuine power: The formal ceremony fails to produce rain, while Ao Huang’s direct intervention succeeds. This contrasts ceremonial authority with actual supernatural ability.
• Heavenly favor and legitimacy: The dragon’s rain is presented as a divine omen supporting Jing Kingdom and the Empress Dowager’s rule.
• Collective survival and loyalty: The graduates’ shared ordeal creates lasting bonds, gratitude, and mutual respect.
• Literary competition: Even after military and political triumphs, Fang Yun must continue proving himself through poetry and scholarship.
• The rise of a new generation: The rewarded graduates represent a new power bloc capable of changing Jing Kingdom’s political landscape.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun directs Ao Huang to make the rain gentler, demonstrating his ability to control the dragon’s reckless actions.
• The Vice Minister of Rites publicly connects the rain to the Empress Dowager’s virtue and Jing Kingdom’s divine favor.
• Ji Zhibai and the others openly honor Fang Yun for rescuing them during the Hunting Grounds Battle.
• The graduates reminisce together about facing overwhelming danger, reinforcing their camaraderie.
• Ji Zhibai privately cautions Fang Yun that rivals may exploit any weakness in his poem to claim temporary literary superiority, adding an element of tension to the upcoming Literary Gathering.

Chapter Summary: “Eagle-Soaring Army”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Early Spring Literary Gathering, several officials discuss Fang Yun’s growing literary reputation and the danger of challenging him publicly.
• He Ludong reveals his intention to request a military transfer near Ning’an County, claiming he wants to defend it against possible Demon Barbarian attacks.
• Ji Zhibai announces that Ning’an’s current defenses will likely be reorganized. The Eagle-Soaring Army, stationed at nearby Jade Sun Pass, may detach troops to take control of Ning’an’s defense.
• This proposal alarms the gathered officials because the Eagle-Soaring Army is controlled by the Left Prime Minister’s faction. If its troops occupy Ning’an, Fang Yun would be surrounded by officials and military forces loyal to his political enemies.
• Chen Jing further reveals that Tong Luan, the Left Vice Minister of War and a longtime enemy of Fang Yun, may soon leave the Ministry of War to command the Eagle-Soaring Army. Tong Luan’s transfer appears connected to his desire to avenge his grandson Tong Li, who died after losing a wager with Fang Yun.
• Fang Yun realizes that Tong Luan and the Left Prime Minister are likely arranging a political and military trap for him when he takes office in Ning’an. The gathering’s atmosphere becomes tense, resembling an impending court struggle.
• Vice Minister Sai of Rites deliberately redirects attention by asking Fang Yun to compose the opening poem for the literary gathering.
• Fang Yun writes a poem celebrating early spring, beginning with imagery of light rain and distant grass. His first lines immediately receive widespread acclaim.
• He completes the poem by praising early spring as superior to the luxuriant willows of the imperial capital. The crowd falls silent and looks toward Left Prime Minister Liu Shan, waiting for his reaction.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun: Demonstrates composure under mounting political pressure. Rather than reacting to the military maneuvering, he channels his attention into poetry and produces another celebrated work, reinforcing his status as a Void Sage and Poem Ancestor.
• Tong Luan: Emerges as a major threat. His personal hatred of Fang Yun, rooted in Tong Li’s death, appears to have driven him into a political alliance with the Left Prime Minister.
• Left Prime Minister Liu Shan: Strengthens his faction’s control over Ning’an by potentially placing the Eagle-Soaring Army and Tong Luan in positions capable of restricting Fang Yun.
• Ji Zhibai: Provides important information about the planned military reorganization and appears aligned with the Left Prime Minister’s faction.
• He Ludong: Publicly presents his possible transfer as military service, but his words contribute to the pressure being placed on Fang Yun.
• Vice Minister Sai: Shows awareness of the dangerous political atmosphere and helps Fang Yun avoid an immediate confrontation by shifting the gathering toward literature.
• Chen Jing: Exposes the likely significance of Tong Luan’s promotion and makes the political implications clear to Fang Yun and the others.

Significant Themes

• Political power versus individual achievement: Fang Yun’s literary fame cannot shield him from institutional and military forces controlled by his enemies.
• Personal vengeance becoming political strategy: Tong Luan’s grief and resentment over his grandson’s death have been transformed into a broader campaign against Fang Yun.
• Entrapment and looming danger: Ning’an is depicted as a potential “turtle in a jar,” with Fang Yun surrounded by hostile officials, soldiers, and logistical authorities.
• Literature as resistance and authority: Fang Yun’s poetry provides him with a way to respond to political hostility without direct confrontation, reaffirming his influence and prestige.
• Perception and insight: The poem’s precise observations of rain, grass, and early spring mirror Fang Yun’s ability to perceive the hidden political dangers around him.
• The fragile balance between civil and military power: Control of Ning’an depends not only on its magistrate but also on the armies, transport offices, and regional officials surrounding it.

Character Interactions

• He Ludong and Ma Chaoming exchange threats and jokes about punishing people who challenge Fang Yun’s reputation.
• Qiao Juze toasts Ji Zhibai while emphasizing that few would dare compete with Fang Yun in literary fame; Ji Zhibai responds modestly but confirms that he could simply avoid the competition.
• He Ludong questions Fang Yun about his assignment to Ning’an, indirectly introducing the military threat.
• Ji Zhibai explains the planned transfer of military authority to the Eagle-Soaring Army, revealing how the Left Prime Minister’s faction could dominate Fang Yun’s future jurisdiction.
• Chen Jing confronts Minister Tong indirectly by announcing Tong Luan’s likely promotion and transfer, exposing the connection between military appointments and factional conflict.
• Fang Yun observes Tong Luan and recognizes that their old personal conflict has evolved into a serious political danger.
• Vice Minister Sai intervenes to prevent the gathering from turning into an open political confrontation, prompting Fang Yun to write.
• Fang Yun’s poem wins immediate admiration from the scholars, but the crowd’s final silence shifts attention to Liu Shan, suggesting that the poem may carry political implications and that the Prime Minister’s response will be significant.

Chapter Summary: “Minister Fang Is Most Excellent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun presents “Early-Spring Drizzle,” a poem that immediately generates three feet six inches of Literary Qi and reaches the State-Ringing level.
• The poem appears to praise the beauty of early spring, but its imagery is interpreted as a sharp political attack on Left Prime Minister Liu Shan and his faction. The “grass visible from afar but vanishing up close” suggests that the faction appears powerful while actually being hollow, while the final lines imply that Jing Kingdom’s best era is beginning to surpass Liu Shan’s period of dominance.
• Ao Huang initially praises the poem too loudly and fails to notice the tense atmosphere. After Su Xiaoxiao hints at the hidden meaning, he realizes the poem’s political implications and enthusiastically praises it again.
• The poem undermines the Left Prime Minister’s faction, which had just used military authority to restrict Fang Yun’s power in Ning’an County. Fang Yun’s literary counterattack leaves them unable to respond publicly.
• The young monarch praises Fang Yun by declaring, “Minister Fang is most excellent!” Fang Yun politely accepts the compliment, while the Empress Dowager’s warm attitude toward him is also evident.
• Afterward, scholars continue competing at the Literary Assembly. Fang Yun’s new poem occupies another high position on the Ding Ranking, leaving only three places for other scholars and making many talented scholars reluctant to compete directly with him.
• Fang Yun later leads twenty-nine people in a collective toast using Tongue Blossoms Thunder.
• During the festivities, Nunu sneaks into Heaven-Serving Hall and approaches the Empress Dowager and young monarch. She cleverly demands royal fruit before allowing herself to be held, amusing everyone.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun demonstrates confidence, restraint, and political sophistication. He uses poetry as a weapon without openly acknowledging the attack on Liu Shan, preserving plausible deniability while humiliating his opponents.
• Ao Huang remains tactless and impulsive, but he quickly recognizes Fang Yun’s hidden meaning after Su Xiaoxiao’s hint. His exaggerated praise provides comic relief.
• Liu Shan appears outwardly calm and dignified, though he is visibly older and thinner than before. His powerful presence contrasts with the poem’s suggestion that his political influence may be declining.
• The young monarch shows growing affection and admiration for Fang Yun, imitating the Empress Dowager’s praise and enthusiastically celebrating him.
• The Empress Dowager is warm toward Fang Yun and particularly fond of Nunu, suggesting increasing closeness between Fang Yun’s household and the royal family.
• Nunu displays intelligence, boldness, and shameless cleverness. She acts like a spoiled member of Fang Yun’s family, negotiating directly with the Empress Dowager for better food.
• Ji Zhibai silently suffers from frustration, while other scholars recognize Fang Yun’s overwhelming literary dominance and avoid provoking him.

Significant Themes

• Literature as political resistance: Fang Yun’s poem transforms artistic expression into a direct but subtle challenge to political power.
• The decline of established authority: The poem suggests that Liu Shan’s faction may look dominant but is losing control as a new era emerges.
• The power of reputation: Fang Yun’s achievements intimidate other scholars and reshape the entire literary competition.
• Royal favor and political legitimacy: The monarch’s praise and the Empress Dowager’s warmth reinforce Fang Yun’s growing status at court.
• Humor amid political tension: Nunu’s antics and Ao Huang’s bluntness lighten an otherwise tense confrontation between Fang Yun and the Left Prime Minister’s faction.
• Family and belonging: Nunu’s behavior reflects the bold, unconventional character of Fang Yun’s household, which Qiao Juze humorously compares to Fang Yun himself.

Character Interactions

• Ao Huang loudly praises Fang Yun’s poem, then realizes its hidden political meaning through Su Xiaoxiao’s silent explanation.
• Fang Yun respectfully responds to the young monarch’s praise, while the Empress Dowager watches him warmly.
• He Ludong attempts to discover whether Fang Yun composed the poem spontaneously or had planned it, but Fang Yun avoids answering by proposing a toast.
• Fang Yun gently refuses Nunu’s request to visit Heaven-Serving Hall, but she later goes there on her own.
• The Empress Dowager offers Nunu rare fruit and places her on her lap. Nunu repeatedly demands more fruit, amusing the monarch and the surrounding scholars.
• Qiao Juze jokes that Fang Yun’s household is characterized by the same boldness found in both its dragon and fox.

Chapter Summary: “Ten Cold King”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• During the palace banquet, Ao Huang continues his famously excessive eating, though Fang Yun keeps him from causing trouble or searching the imperial palace for treasures.
• Nunu presents Fang Yun with a platter of rare fruits that the Empress Dowager had given it. Fang Yun accepts a few, gently advises Nunu not to ask others for things, and sends it to share the fruit with Yang Yuhuan.
• The conversation turns to the coming Genesis Destruction Battle of the Ten Cold Ancient Land, which occurs every three hundred years.
• Chen Jing and He Ludong explain that Fang Yun, because he possesses cities in both the Ten Cold Ancient Land and the Kong Sage Ancient Land, may be able to lead private soldiers into the battle and compete for the title of Ten Cold King.
• Becoming a Ten Cold King would grant enormous authority within the Ten Cold Ancient Land. In particular, a king would be nearly invincible inside a Source City, even against saints, and could obtain a true Ancient Land Source City after the land’s rebirth.
• The guests emphasize that the title could greatly elevate Fang Yun’s family, potentially allowing him to establish a powerful clan or even a lasting sage lineage.
• The chapter explains the importance of treasures from the Ten Cold Ancient Land, such as Cold Ink, which strengthens water- and ice-related War Poetry and is highly effective against Demon Barbarians.
• At midnight, the Early Spring Literary Gathering ends. Fang Yun receives the top prize: the Provincial Graduate Literary Treasure Canglang Brush, which contains the power of the Provincial Graduate War Poetry Canglang Journey.
• Rather than keep the brush, Fang Yun auctions it immediately. Powerful clans and sage lineages bid in order to support him and obtain an item associated with a future Void Sage or saint.
• The brush ultimately sells for three hundred eighty thousand taels of silver. Fang Yun only reveals his real purpose after the auction concludes.

2. Character Developments

• Fang Yun displays restraint, generosity, and strategic thinking. He manages palace etiquette despite the chaotic behavior around him, accepts Nunu’s gift tactfully, and chooses to auction away a valuable prize rather than keep it.
• His decision to sell the brush reinforces that he values practical goals and relationships over personal possessions. The auction also shows his growing influence among powerful clans.
• Ao Huang remains gluttonous, impulsive, and treasure-hungry, but obeys Fang Yun when reprimanded. His sulking over Nunu refusing to share fruit adds humor to the banquet.
• Nunu is portrayed as affectionate, proud, and generous. It treats the fruit as a treasured gift and eagerly shares it with Fang Yun and Yang Yuhuan, though it dislikes Ao Huang’s demands.
• Chen Jing and He Ludong act as knowledgeable advisers, informing Fang Yun about the Ten Cold Ancient Land and encouraging him to pursue the Ten Cold King title.
• The surrounding clans and scholars increasingly recognize Fang Yun as a major political and scholarly power, willing to spend enormous sums to strengthen their connection with him.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and political influence: The Ten Cold King title could transform Fang Yun’s family into a major clan or sage lineage, showing how supernatural authority directly shapes social status.
• Strategic use of resources: Ancient Lands provide weapons, treasures, and political advantages vital to the Human Race’s survival against the Demon Barbarians.
• Generosity and social bonds: Fang Yun’s treatment of Nunu and his willingness to auction the brush demonstrate that relationships and shared benefit matter more to him than simply accumulating treasures.
• Legacy and immortality: The discussion of Source Cities, powerful clans, and sage lineages emphasizes the desire to create institutions and influence that endure for centuries or millennia.
• Humor amid political seriousness: Ao Huang’s eating and Nunu’s possessiveness provide comic relief during discussions of war, ancient powers, and the fate of the Human Race.

4. Character Interactions

• Fang Yun restrains Ao Huang’s treasure-hunting impulses, showing their familiar relationship of authority mixed with tolerance.
• Nunu affectionately offers Fang Yun its fruit, while Fang Yun responds warmly but teaches it proper behavior.
• Nunu refuses to give Ao Huang any fruit, leading to playful resentment and highlighting the contrasting bonds between the characters.
• Chen Jing and He Ludong discuss the Ten Cold Ancient Land with Fang Yun, encouraging him to take part in the upcoming battle.
• Fang Yun’s auction creates a public interaction between himself and the clans attending the literary gathering. Their escalating bids reveal both the brush’s value and their desire to curry favor with him.
• The chapter ends with Fang Yun retaining control of the situation: the auction appears generous on the surface, but he has a specific strategic motive that has not yet been disclosed.

Chapter Summary: Fang Yun’s Exclusive Auction

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun jokes that he “fleeced the fat cats” by selling a Provincial Graduate literary treasure for 370,000 taels instead of its usual value of 100,000.
• He announces that, having become a Void Sage, he will participate in fewer Literary Assemblies so younger scholars can compete fairly.
• He declares that future Literary Assembly rewards will be auctioned immediately:
  • 70,000 taels will go to the Ministry of Works for flood prevention.
  • 100,000 taels will support charitable halls and poor commoners.
  • The remaining 200,000 taels will fund an educational project, whose details he keeps secret.
• Fang Yun reveals that, three days later, he will hold a private auction of treasures obtained from the Sacred Ruins and Dragon Ascension Platform. Only silver will be accepted, and he promises to reveal the ultimate purpose of the funds in February.
• After the Literary Assembly concludes, Fang Yun meets with Tang Grand Manager of the Profound Court Book Firm.
• Fang Yun later releases the auction list, offering items such as dragon bones, Strange Wood roots, Blood-Qi Lake-Containing Shells, and handwritten copies of the Three Character Classic and his poems.
• The auction causes widespread excitement across the Saint Origin Continent, especially because Fang Yun’s handwriting is considered an invaluable collectible with possible educational benefits for entire clans.
• The Lei Family is explicitly banned from attending or acquiring the auctioned items, reflecting Fang Yun’s ongoing hostility toward them.
• Entry is restricted to members of great clans and Half-Sage Families, while others must present banknotes worth at least 100,000 taels.
• On the auction day, Fang Yun arrives at the Chen Clan Pawnshop in the capital with his family and two Demon Marquis guards. The venue is packed with representatives from powerful aristocratic families and great clans.
• Fang Yun is treated with extraordinary respect and receives a steady stream of high-ranking visitors before the auction begins.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun demonstrates humility and self-awareness by acknowledging that his status as a Void Sage could unfairly dominate Literary Assemblies. He chooses to step back in favor of younger scholars.
• He also reveals strong social responsibility, directing much of his wealth toward disaster prevention, charity, and education.
• His growing influence is evident: his handwriting, possessions, private army, and personal reputation have become assets capable of affecting entire clans and political factions.
• Nunu and Ao Huang provide a lighthearted contrast to the formal gathering, amusing themselves by chatting near the auction hall’s railing.
• The Lei Family is further isolated and humiliated by Fang Yun’s explicit exclusion from the auction.
• The Left Prime Minister Faction is indirectly weakened, as Fang Yun’s powerful private army makes him difficult to intimidate or obstruct.

Significant Themes

• Power used for public benefit: Fang Yun converts personal wealth and rare treasures into flood control, charity, and educational opportunities.
• Education over temporary aid: His remark that “giving a man a fish was not as good as teaching him to fish” emphasizes long-term improvement through learning.
• The burden of greatness: Fang Yun recognizes that his achievements and reputation could overwhelm younger competitors, so he voluntarily limits his participation.
• Cultural and symbolic value: His handwritten works are valuable not merely as objects, but because they embody his literary authority and may strengthen a clan’s educational tradition.
• Political influence and class hierarchy: The auction reveals the enormous gap between ordinary people and aristocratic families, while also showing how Fang Yun’s wealth and military strength challenge established political powers.
• Revenge and exclusion: The restrictions placed on the Lei Family show Fang Yun using his influence to punish and contain former enemies.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun jokes openly with the scholars at the Literary Assembly, creating an unusually relaxed atmosphere despite his exalted status.
• The attendees speculate enthusiastically about which treasures he will sell and how much they may be worth.
• Supporters and opponents of the Left Prime Minister Faction discuss Fang Yun’s private army, recognizing that it can counter large conventional forces.
• Fang Yun and Tang Grand Manager hold a private business discussion that lasts late into the night, showing Fang Yun’s continued involvement in large-scale commercial planning.
• At the Chen Clan Pawnshop, aristocratic representatives and clan heads line up to pay their respects. Fang Yun responds courteously, though the scene highlights the immense prestige he now commands.
• Nunu and Ao Huang’s cheerful, incomprehensible conversation adds humor amid the formal, politically charged atmosphere.

Chapter Summary: “Hot Auction”

Key Plot Points and Events

• An exclusive auction of Fang Yun’s possessions begins in a packed auction hall attended by stewards from powerful clans and wealthy houses.
• Fang Yun returns to his private room after seeing off guests. Ao Huang, Yang Yuhuan, Su Xiaoxiao, and Zhao Hongzhuang join him to observe the auction.
• The first item, a damaged dragon bone from the Sacred Ruins, is presented as the bone of a powerful Dragon King and an Other Monster called “Spirit Bones.” Though Fang Yun knows the auctioneer is exaggerating its origins, it sells for 75,000 taels, slightly above market value.
• The second item—ten roots from a Strange Wood Demon King—proves genuinely valuable and sells for 2.75 million taels, astonishing Fang Yun’s companions. The auction’s total revenue soon exceeds 10 million taels.
• After twelve items are sold, the auctioneer introduces Fang Yun’s handwritten copy of “Spring Dawn,” his first famous poem and the work that earned him the title of Triple-A Honor Licentiate.
• The poem is praised as a State-Ringing work with the potential to become Nation-Quelling after centuries of transmission. Its starting price is set at one million taels.
• Bidding immediately becomes fierce, with more than a hundred bids sounding at once. Even the Sage Kong Aristocratic Clan participates.
• A mysterious bidder suddenly offers 10 million taels, far beyond the poem’s estimated value. Fang Yun recognizes the voice as belonging to the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis, revealing that the Dragon Race has entered the auction.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun remains observant and composed, recognizing both the auctioneer’s sales tactics and the true value of his possessions. He is amused by the inflated praise of the damaged dragon bone and surprised by the enormous prices his goods command.
• Ao Huang displays his usual irreverent personality, joking about selling his own dragon scales and tolerating Fang Yun’s playful touching of his tail. His laughter at the final bid hints at his awareness of the Dragon Race’s involvement.
• Yang Yuhuan and Su Xiaoxiao react with amazement to the wealth generated by the auction, emphasizing how extraordinary Fang Yun’s resources and status have become.
• Zhao Hongzhuang is treated as part of Fang Yun’s close circle and comfortably joins Yang Yuhuan and Su Xiaoxiao in the private room.
• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis emerges as a powerful and unpredictable participant by placing an astonishing bid on “Spring Dawn.”

Significant Themes

• The value of reputation and symbolism: Fang Yun’s fame dramatically increases the worth of ordinary or damaged objects connected to him.
• Wealth and influence: The auction demonstrates the enormous financial power of aristocratic clans and the ability of rare resources to affect entire regions.
• Political rivalry: The auctioneer deliberately identifies bidders by nationality to provoke competition between hostile kingdoms such as Wu, Qi, and Jing.
• Cultural and literary legacy: “Spring Dawn” is valuable not merely as an object but as a symbol of Fang Yun’s rise and potential lasting impact on human civilization.
• The widening scope of Fang Yun’s influence: The Dragon Race’s participation suggests that Fang Yun’s possessions and literary achievements now attract attention beyond humanity’s political world.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun playfully touches Ao Huang’s tail, prompting Ao Huang to joke about Fang Yun flattering a dragon.
• Yang Yuhuan and Su Xiaoxiao laugh at the exchange and later react together to the auction’s astonishing prices.
• Zhao Hongzhuang joins the women and speaks with them privately, reinforcing her close relationship with Fang Yun’s group.
• Ao Huang suggests selling his dragon scales, while Nunu silently dismisses the idea as foolish.
• Fang Yun recognizes the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis by voice, connecting the final dramatic bid to the Dragon Race.

Summary: “The Overbearing Dragon Race”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace opens the bidding for Fang Yun’s writings at ten million taels of silver, immediately intimidating most competitors.
• When Human Race bidders criticize the Dragon Race for monopolizing Human treasures, Ao Huang defends the auction as a contest of wealth, arguing that anyone unable to afford the price should stop complaining.
• The first major item, a second copy—or “pseudo-original”—of Fang Yun’s poem Spring Dawn, sparks a fierce contest between the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis and the Kong Family’s chief steward.
• The Dragon Marquis ultimately wins at twenty-two million taels, a sum comparable to the annual tax revenue of an entire prefecture. The price demonstrates Fang Yun’s extraordinary value and the Dragon Race’s immense wealth.
• The Dragon Marquis then purchases nearly all of Fang Yun’s other State-Ringing poems and essays, routinely paying over ten million taels for works whose normal maximum value would be much lower.
• By noon, the auction’s total sales exceed one hundred million taels. Fang Yun’s works sell exceptionally well, while the Dragon Race ignores most other treasures.
• The final item is revealed to be the Three Character Classic, a work with both enormous collectible value and profound practical significance. It connects to the Human Race’s fortune and embodies the Instructional Sacred Way.
• The auctioneer explains that, if transformed through “Polluted Text” and Sacred Blood, the book might enlighten Demon Barbarians and help them overcome their innate tendency to lose reason when their qi and blood surge.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun remains relaxed and amused throughout the auction. Rather than being offended by the Dragon Race’s aggressive bidding, he is pleased because the inflated prices benefit him.
• Ao Huang displays his outspoken, combative personality by confronting the crowd and defending the Dragon Race’s right to bid. He is thrilled by the escalating prices and treats the verbal dispute as a form of “Lip Spear and Tongue Sword.”
• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis is portrayed as wealthy, confident, and domineering. He openly declares that the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace intends to acquire all of Fang Yun’s works and backs up the threat with relentless bidding.
• The Kong Family’s chief steward emerges as one of the few Human Race figures capable of competing financially with the Dragon Race, but he eventually withdraws after the price reaches twenty-two million taels.
• Yang Yuhuan is impressed by the astonishing prices and wonders how valuable Fang Yun’s true examination draft would be. Her questions also reveal her growing familiarity with the wider world.
• Zhao Hongzhuang acts as an informed guide, explaining the value of Fang Yun’s writings and the Demon Barbarians’ interest in Human Race knowledge.
• The wealthy clans shift from active bidders to anxious observers. Their frustration reflects both financial limitations and resentment toward the Dragon Race’s dominance.

Significant Themes

• Wealth and power: The auction reveals the overwhelming financial superiority of the Dragon Race and shows how wealth can translate directly into cultural influence.
• Cultural ownership and racial tension: Human bidders object to Human Race treasures being bought by outsiders, raising questions about whether Fang Yun’s legacy belongs to the Human Race or to whoever can pay the most.
• The value of literature: Fang Yun’s poems are treated not merely as art but as political, historical, and potentially divine treasures. Even a second copy of Spring Dawn commands a fortune.
• Knowledge as power: The Three Character Classic represents an educational and civilizing force. Its value lies not only in rarity but in its ability to shape intelligence, fortune, and the development of entire races.
• Human–Demon conflict: The Demon Barbarians’ desire to study Human wisdom suggests that the ancient struggle between the races is also an intellectual and evolutionary contest.
• Fang Yun’s growing influence: The extraordinary demand for his writings confirms that his works possess significance far beyond ordinary literary achievement.

Important Character Interactions

• Human Race clan leaders confront the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis, accusing the Dragon Race of arrogance and cultural domination.
• Ao Huang verbally clashes with the crowd and then jokes with Fang Yun about his aggressive defense of the Dragon Race.
• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis and the Kong Family steward engage in a prolonged bidding duel over Spring Dawn, symbolizing a contest between Dragon wealth and Human prestige.
• Yang Yuhuan and Zhao Hongzhuang discuss the value of Fang Yun’s writings, with Zhao explaining why even a non-original copy is exceptionally valuable.
• Yang Yuhuan, Su Xiaoxiao, and Zhao Hongzhuang react to the revelation of the Three Character Classic, while Zhao provides context about the Demon Barbarians’ long-standing attempts to obtain Human wisdom.

Summary

This chapter is an author’s note rather than a narrative installment.

• Key events: The next chapter is delayed until tomorrow afternoon because the author is working through a major plot development occurring between the auction’s conclusion and the formal Palace Examination.
• Character developments: No story characters develop within the note, though Fang Yun is humorously described as generously sharing Literary Qi and the blessings of the Strange Book World with readers.
• Themes: The note emphasizes preparation, academic advancement, perseverance, and the idea that life after the Palace Examination is only the beginning. It also playfully compares the examination to a modern college entrance exam and the broader “Imperial Examination of life.”
• Character interactions: No narrative interactions occur. The author addresses readers directly, jokingly asks Fang Yun for Literary Qi, and invites readers to advance together through life’s challenges.

Chapter Summary: “Auction House Turmoil”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yang Yuhuan asks why the Demon Barbarians considered the power containing the Instructional Sacred Way more important than other treasures.
• The group explains that Sage Kong’s greatest achievement was not merely his benevolence or righteousness, but his establishment of private education and the principle of “teaching without distinction.” By breaking the powerful and noble classes’ monopoly over learning, he enlightened the Human Race and created immense, enduring merit.
• Su Xiaoxiao introduces a disturbing theory: the Demon Barbarian sages may have spared Sage Kong because they intended to replace the Human Race’s reverence for him with worship of him as an ancestral god of the Ape Race, thereby stealing the Instructional Great Way.
• Zhao Hongzhuang doubts this theory, noting that Sage Kong had already attained a Saint’s status by the time of Sagefall. Ao Huang humorously reminds everyone that Dragons traditionally revere Thunder Master rather than Sage Kong, though he personally respects Sage Kong’s teachings.
• Fang Yun realizes that Sage Kong’s Sacred Way may have weaknesses, but his merit in spreading education is eternal because it laid the foundation for the Human Race’s intellectual development.
• The auctioneer presents Fang Yun’s handwritten Three Character Classic, emphasizing that it contains the Instructional Sacred Way and can enlighten entire races. Despite its enormous importance, no one initially bids because potential buyers are either unable to afford it or are waiting for the price to stabilize.
• The Western Sea Dragon Palace begins the bidding at one hundred million taels of silver. The Eastern Sea Dragon Palace quickly raises the bid to two hundred million, then two hundred and fifty million.
• A confrontation erupts between Ao Ming of the Western Sea Dragon Palace and Ao Huang and the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. Their exchange exposes hostility between the dragon factions and hints at the Western Sea Dragon Palace’s cooperation with the Demon Realm.
• Human buyers become openly hostile toward the Western Sea Dragon Palace, recalling its previous attempts to seize Fang Yun’s Ancestral Dragon True Blood and its suspected collaboration with the Demon Realm.
• The auction resumes, and the price rapidly climbs. Within fifteen minutes, it reaches eight hundred million taels—more than the Jing Kingdom’s entire annual tax revenue.
• The great clans, including the wealthy Lu Ban Void Sage Family, withdraw because the cost becomes too severe. The bidding effectively becomes a contest among powerful aristocratic lineages.
• The Kong Family does not participate because, although valuable, this non-original copy of the Three Character Classic is far less important to them than Sage Kong’s original manuscripts.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun gains a deeper understanding of Sage Kong’s true foundation as a Saint: enduring merit through universal education rather than only moral teachings. This reinforces Fang Yun’s awareness of the historical and strategic value of the Instructional Sacred Way.
• Ao Huang displays his impulsive and combative personality by making an aggressive bid and threatening to confront Ao Ming in the future. He later realizes he has acted rashly and hides behind Fang Yun.
• Ao Ming appears arrogant and provocative, using the Western Sea Dragon Palace’s wealth and Dragon King status to intimidate the Eastern Sea faction.
• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis demonstrates greater restraint and political awareness than Ao Huang, correcting him but still defending the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace forcefully.
• Yang Yuhuan, Su Xiaoxiao, and Zhao Hongzhuang contribute different perspectives on Sage Kong’s legacy, the Demon Barbarians’ motives, and the political implications of the Instructional Sacred Way.

Significant Themes

• Education as lasting power: The chapter presents instruction and enlightenment as forces capable of transforming entire races and shaping history more profoundly than military strength.
• Merit versus traditional Sacred Ways: Fang Yun recognizes that Sage Kong’s lasting greatness comes from his accumulated merit in spreading education, which remains valuable even as other aspects of his Sacred Way may weaken.
• Cultural and ideological warfare: The Demon Barbarians’ alleged plan to appropriate Sage Kong’s legacy shows that control over historical figures, teachings, and cultural symbols can be as important as physical conquest.
• Wealth and influence: The escalating auction demonstrates how resources, aristocratic power, and political strength determine who can obtain treasures of the Sacred Way.
• Factional conflict: The rivalry between the Eastern and Western Sea Dragon Palaces reflects wider tensions involving the Human Race, the Dragon Race, and the Demon Realm.

Important Character Interactions

• Fang Yun and the group: Their discussion leads Fang Yun to reassess Sage Kong’s achievements and the importance of educational merit.
• Ao Huang and Ao Ming: Their hostile exchange exposes the rivalry between the Eastern and Western Dragon Palaces, with Ao Huang reacting emotionally and Ao Ming asserting his superior rank.
• Ao Huang and the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis: The Dragon Marquis reprimands Ao Huang for his reckless bidding, showing tension between impulsiveness and responsible leadership.
• The Dragon Palaces and the Human Race: The dragon factions compete for the Three Character Classic, while many Human Race members hope it will go to the Eastern Dragon Palace rather than the Western one because of the latter’s suspected alliance with the Demon Realm.
• The great clans and the auction: The clans initially consider pooling their resources but are forced to withdraw as the price rises beyond their practical limits, leaving the auction to the most powerful aristocratic families and factions.

Summary

The chapter explains why Fang Yun’s Three Character Classic is so valuable. Though largely useless to Second Saint Families, it is immensely beneficial to Half-Sage Families and other aristocratic clans whose inherited Sacred Ways are incomplete. As an elementary instructional text, it can give Child Scholars a stronger foundation than direct study of the Sages’ Classics, improving their future achievements. Non-Confucian lineages especially want it to compensate for weaknesses in their own traditions.
The discussion focuses on the Mohist School, which has repeatedly adapted to changing eras. Its original doctrines of “Universal Love and Non-Aggression” and “Condemnation of Music” were reduced or revised when they became unsuitable, while newer interpretations of “Understanding Ghosts” and “Heaven’s Will” became the school’s primary Sacred Ways. These reforms helped Mohist Mechanisms advance, but the Mohists still lacked proper instructional inheritance, making the Three Character Classic highly desirable.
The auction begins at an enormous price of one billion taels of silver. This amount already strains most aristocratic families, whose wealth is consumed by scholars’ stipends, rituals, armies, cities, and Ancient Lands. Once an auction item surpasses one billion, further bids must include valuable divine objects rather than silver alone, making the competition far more intense.
The Sun Tzu Aristocratic Clan then bids one billion taels plus Sun Tzu’s Sacred Blood. This shocks the audience because Sun Tzu’s blood is exceptionally powerful: unlike the dead blood of fallen Demon Barbarian Half-Sages, Human Sacred Blood retains the will of its former owner. It could potentially double the strength of a School of War Grand Academician’s Literary Platform. The bid is also viewed as a strategic attempt to encourage Fang Yun to cultivate the School of War.
The Chen Sage Family jokingly offers two drops of Sage Chen’s Sacred Blood and one billion taels, suggesting Fang Yun exchange the prize for Sun Tzu’s blood. Fang Yun playfully points out that the Chen Family should give him something extra, and the audience recognizes the exchange as friendly teasing rather than a serious bid.
The Western Sea Dragon Palace then raises the price to one billion taels plus Dragon Sage True Blood from a living Dragon Sage. Because Dragon blood is naturally more powerful and the source is still alive, its value surpasses Sun Tzu’s Sacred Blood. The auctioneer notes that it could even transform Demon Barbarian private soldiers into peak Great Demon Kings. Fang Yun considers the possibility of using his own Sacred Blood to strengthen private soldiers, but hesitates because their loyalty is uncertain.
Most human clans withdraw, unable to compete with the Dragon Race. Ao Huang, angered that the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has fallen behind, insults Ao Qingyue and places a new bid on the Eastern Sea’s behalf: one drop of living Dragon Sage blood, one drop of ordinary Dragon Sage dead blood, and one billion taels. Ao Ming of the Western Sea responds calmly with two drops of living Dragon Sage blood and one billion taels, escalating the rivalry between the two Dragon Palaces.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Fang Yun remains calm and analytical, recognizing that the first copy of the Three Character Classic would be worth more than Sun Tzu’s Sacred Blood, but this auctioned copy does not justify such a price. He also shows humor in his exchange with the Chen Family.
• The Chen Sage Family demonstrates its close, playful relationship with Fang Yun while still attempting to participate in the auction.
• The Sun Tzu Aristocratic Clan makes a calculated bid designed both to win the text and draw Fang Yun toward the School of War.
• Ao Huang acts impulsively and competitively, provoking the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace after it loses the lead.
• Ao Ming counters with composure, showing the Western Sea Dragon Palace’s confidence and superior resources.
• The competing human clans reveal the limitations of even ancient aristocratic families when facing the Dragon Race’s wealth and resources.

Major Themes

• Adaptation versus tradition: The Mohist School survives by revising outdated doctrines instead of blindly preserving them.
• Education as foundation: Elementary instructional texts can shape the future strength of entire lineages.
• Wealth and power: Aristocratic influence depends on enormous, continuous expenditure, especially in preparation for future Demon Barbarian invasions.
• Strategic bidding and political influence: The auction is not merely commercial; families use their bids to court Fang Yun and influence his future Sacred Way.
• Human–Dragon rivalry: The escalating bids expose the Dragon Race’s superior wealth and the growing competition between the Eastern and Western Sea Dragon Palaces.
• Value of inheritance: Sacred Blood embodies lineage, accumulated power, and the lingering will of past sages.

Chapter Summary: Sacred Land Dragon Pearl

Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction for Fang Yun’s handwritten Three Character Classic reaches an extraordinary level. The Western Sea Dragon Palace bids one billion taels of silver and two drops of Dragon Sage Blood, hoping to obtain Fang Yun’s work for the education of young dragons and because the Dragon Race values influential poetry and prose.
• When the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace appears ready to surrender the item, the Green-Robed Dragon Marquis, representing the Eastern Sea, makes a shocking counteroffer: one billion taels of silver and a Sacred Land Dragon Pearl.
• The auction hall falls silent because the Dragon Pearl is an almost priceless treasure, especially with the Sacred Land Ancestral Gate opening soon.
• The other Dragon Palaces, particularly the Western, Northern, and Southern Seas, accuse the Eastern Sea of conspiring with Fang Yun and wasting a supreme racial treasure on a mere Void Sage.
• The Green-Robed Dragon Marquis declares that the decision was authorized by the Dragon Sage Grandfather and promises that Fang Yun will receive the pearl once the Three Character Classic reaches the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace.
• The Northern Sea threatens to persuade the Dragon Sages to curse Fang Yun and make him an enemy of the Dragon Race if he accepts the pearl.
• Tensions escalate when Dragon King Ao Ban appears in his enormous dragon form and confronts Fang Yun. He demands that Fang Yun renounce the Sacred Land Dragon Pearl, citing Fang Yun’s attacks on the Lei Family and his hostility toward their allies.
• Ao Ming joins Ao Ban in threatening Fang Yun. Fang Yun remains composed and declares that the pearl belongs to him if the Eastern Sea chooses to give it to him, warning that anyone who attempts to seize what is his will face deadly consequences.
• Ao Ming and the Northern and Western Sea dragons leave in anger, promising to settle the matter when the Sacred Land Ancestral Gate opens. Ao Huang remains furious at the other Dragon Palaces’ behavior.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun displays exceptional calm and confidence under the overwhelming pressure of Dragon King Ao Ban. He refuses to be intimidated or manipulated into surrendering a treasure he has not even demanded.
• Ao Qingyue/Eastern Sea Dragon Palace demonstrates an unexpectedly strong commitment to Fang Yun by offering a Sacred Land Dragon Pearl, suggesting that the Eastern Sea sees him as extraordinarily valuable or important.
• Ao Huang continues to act impulsively and loyally. He is stunned by the Eastern Sea’s offer, argues openly with the other dragons, and is enraged when they threaten Fang Yun.
• Ao Ban emerges as an aggressive political opponent of Fang Yun. He presents himself as defending the Dragon Race’s interests but also reveals personal or factional resentment over Fang Yun’s treatment of the Lei Family.
• Ao Ming acts as the Western Sea’s principal challenger, accusing the Eastern Sea and Fang Yun of deception and making clear that the Western Sea will not accept losing the auction or the Dragon Pearl dispute.
• The Eastern Sea Dragon Marquis appears firm and authoritative, refusing to let the other Dragon Palaces interfere with his palace’s decision.

Significant Themes

• The value of wisdom and education: The Three Character Classic is treated as more than a literary work; its power to improve young dragons makes it worth an immense price.
• Political rivalry and factional conflict: The auction becomes a confrontation between the four Dragon Palaces, exposing deep disagreements over authority, resources, and relations with Fang Yun.
• Honor and entitlement: Fang Yun insists that others cannot simply decide what he may or may not receive, while the Dragon Palaces debate whether a Void Sage is worthy of a Sacred Land Dragon Pearl.
• Courage under pressure: Fang Yun’s refusal to yield before powerful Dragon Kings emphasizes his confidence and growing status.
• Tradition versus individual merit: The Dragon Palaces argue that the pearl should be reserved for ancestral or divine powers, while Fang Yun’s supporters maintain that his achievements justify exceptional treatment.
• The approach of a larger conflict: The impending opening of the Sacred Land Ancestral Gate transforms the auction dispute into a potential confrontation between Fang Yun and the Dragon Race.

Important Character Interactions

• Ao Huang and Ao Qingyue: Ao Huang urges the Eastern Sea to bid, then is shocked and angry when Ao Qingyue offers the Dragon Pearl.
• Ao Ming and the Eastern Sea: Ao Ming accuses the Eastern Sea of fabricating the bid and threatens retaliation if the pearl is truly given to Fang Yun.
• Ao Huang and the other Dragon Palaces: Ao Huang defends Fang Yun, arguing that the Dragon Race already gives Sacred Land Dragon Pearls to powerful clans and should not object to Fang Yun receiving one.
• Ao Ban and Fang Yun: Their confrontation is the chapter’s central interaction. Ao Ban attempts to intimidate Fang Yun into renouncing the pearl, but Fang Yun responds with calm defiance.
• Ao Ming and Fang Yun: Ao Ming directly threatens Fang Yun, but Fang Yun warns that anyone who tries to take what belongs to him will pay with their life.
• Human Race and Dragon Race: Human representatives react angrily to the dragons’ disparagement of Fang Yun, turning the auction dispute into a broader clash over human dignity and political authority.

Chapter Summary: “Deal!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction hall’s roof is destroyed when the Western Sea and Northern Sea Dragon Races forcefully break in, causing outrage among the human scholars.
• The dragons’ fury is revealed to be connected to a Sacred Land Dragon Pearl, which the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has offered as part of its payment for Fang Yun’s handwritten Three Character Classic.
• Zhao Hongzhuang explains that the Dragon Race’s Sacred Land is also known as the Dragon Tomb, the ancient battlefield of the Cataclysmic War. It contains the remnants, wills, and treasures of countless powerful beings.
• Ao Huang provides more history: the Sacred Land nearly collapsed after the Dragon Race’s defeat of the allied myriad races. It was sealed for millions of years, and even Dragon Sages who entered later suffered devastating attacks from the lingering wills of Sainthood.
• The Dragon Race eventually developed a method of entering the Sacred Land with Dragon Pearls. The Ancestral Gate opens only once every hundred thousand years, making each pearl extraordinarily valuable.
• The Sacred Land contains immense resources, including soil nourished by Sacred Blood and Dragon Qi, divine artifacts, and treasures gathered over countless ages. However, its central region remains unexplored.
• Ao Huang explains that Dragon Pearls are formed using Dragon Qi gathered from Dragon-Climbing Stones. Ordinarily, only the Dragon Race and Ancestral God clans are permitted to possess them, making the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace’s bid an unprecedented gesture toward Fang Yun.
• Despite the objections and anger of the other dragon races, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace’s bid of one billion taels of silver and one Sacred Land Dragon Pearl is accepted.
• The auctioneer immediately declares the sale complete, preventing Green-Robed Dragon Marquis from reconsidering his bid. The auction concludes with Fang Yun agreeing to pay for the damaged roof.

2. Character Developments

• Fang Yun remains composed amid the chaos and begins seriously considering whether the Dragon Sage who gave him the pearl may have hidden motives.
• He demonstrates increasing awareness of the political and strategic significance of the Dragon Race’s actions, correctly connecting Sacred Land Dragon Pearls to Dragon-Climbing Stones.
• Ao Huang reveals extensive knowledge about the Dragon Tomb and shows strong loyalty toward Fang Yun, though he also worries that Fang Yun’s entry into the Sacred Land could cause unpredictable trouble.
• Ao Huang’s comedic suspicion of the Dragon Sage contrasts with his genuine concern for Fang Yun’s safety.
• Zhao Hongzhuang acts as an interpreter of history and politics, helping the human characters understand the importance of the Sacred Land.
• Yang Yuhuan and Su Xiaoxiao begin the scene confused by the dragons’ reaction but gradually understand that the pearl represents an immense inheritance and strategic resource.
• Green-Robed Dragon Marquis secures Fang Yun’s handwritten work but immediately feels he may have been manipulated by the auctioneer’s extremely rapid conclusion of the sale.
• The auctioneer openly favors Fang Yun and Jing Kingdom, using the auction’s conclusion to ensure the dragon cannot withdraw his bid.

3. Significant Themes

• The enormous value of ancient inheritances: The Sacred Land Dragon Pearl is more valuable than ordinary wealth or even many Half-Sage treasures because it grants access to resources accumulated over an ancient, civilization-defining war.
• Political tension between races: The Western Sea and Northern Sea Dragon Races’ violent reaction exposes divisions within the Dragon Race and growing conflict between humans, dragons, demons, and barbarians.
• Power and legitimacy: Fang Yun’s relatively young status makes the Dragon Pearl’s transfer controversial, showing how ancient treasures are normally restricted to the highest-ranking bloodlines and clans.
• Hidden motives and strategic alliances: The gift may not be simple generosity. Fang Yun and Ao Huang suspect that the Dragon Sage may be pursuing a larger plan involving Fang Yun’s entry into the Sacred Land.
• History as an active force: The lingering wills of ancient Sages and Ancestral Gods continue to shape the present, making the past dangerous as well as valuable.
• Humor amid high stakes: The chapter balances ancient warfare and inter-racial political conflict with Ao Huang’s complaints and the auctioneer’s playful manipulation of Green-Robed Dragon Marquis.

4. Character Interactions

• The scholars condemn the Western and Northern Sea dragons, while Fang Yun observes the confrontation from his private room.
• Zhao Hongzhuang explains the Dragon Tomb to Yang Yuhuan and the others, while Ao Huang supplements her account with firsthand racial history.
• Fang Yun questions Ao Huang about the Sacred Land, its treasures, and the origin of Dragon Pearls, showing his growing interest in the opportunity.
• Ao Huang warns Fang Yun that the Dragon Sage may be plotting against him, but Green-Robed Dragon Marquis interrupts and criticizes him for voicing such suspicions.
• The auctioneer and Green-Robed Dragon Marquis engage in a humorous struggle: the auctioneer closes the sale before the dragon can object, leaving him feeling cheated.
• After the auction, the crowd jokingly demands that Fang Yun pay for the ruined roof, and Fang Yun accepts responsibility in good humor.

Chapter Summary: “Preparations in Secret”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the auction, Fang Yun receives a flood of visitors eager to meet the Human Race’s only living Void Sage. Many offer greetings, calling cards, poems, embroidery, and other gifts, often revealing romantic interest.
• Fang Yun gives all the gifts from women to Yang Yuhuan, amusing Zhao Hongzhuang and Su Xiaoxiao and making Yang Yuhuan both embarrassed and happy.
• Fang Yun meets representatives of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, led by Green-Robed Dragon Marquis Ao Qingyue. They present him with seventy Sacred Academy banknotes worth 700 million taels and promise to deliver the remaining 300 million taels within two months.
• Fang Yun chooses banknotes over jewels because they are more practical for Jing Kingdom. He also learns that the Sacred Land Dragon Pearl promised by the Dragon Sage is still being prepared but will arrive before the Sacred Land Ancestral Gate opens.
• After expenses and roof repairs, Fang Yun possesses approximately 960 million taels in banknotes, an extraordinary amount of liquid wealth.
• That night, Tang Grand Manager discusses secret plans with Fang Yun before departing hurriedly.
• Fang Yun resumes his disciplined routine: studying the Classics of the Sages, learning unfamiliar knowledge in Strange Book World, practicing Lip Spear, Tongue Sword, and War Poetry, and attending Academy classes on county governance in preparation for the Palace Examination.
• His scholarship and confidence continue to improve, and he becomes comfortable walking openly through the Academy and advising fellow students on poetry and essays.
• Tang Grand Manager later reports that Fang Yun’s large-scale educational project has been established in 70 percent of the targeted regions. Buildings have been renovated or purchased, books stored, and staff appointed.
• Fang Yun orders the project to be publicized in the next day’s Literary Gazette. The project has already cost 250 million taels and will require even greater future expenditures, prompting Tang Grand Manager to worry about public criticism.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun: His new status as a Void Sage brings wealth, admiration, and social attention, but he remains disciplined, practical, and focused on long-term goals. He continues studying and training rather than becoming complacent. His investment in educational institutions shows his commitment to advancing the Human Race and spreading the Instructional Sacred Way.
• Yang Yuhuan: Her relationship with Fang Yun is shown through her affectionate reaction to the gifts he passes to her. She feels proud and pleased despite her embarrassment.
• Ao Qingyue: The Dragon Marquis treats Fang Yun with genuine respect, reflecting Fang Yun’s elevated status. He carefully manages the Dragon Palace’s financial obligations and explains the Dragon Sage’s support.
• Ao Huang: He remains cheerful, shameless, and socially energetic, chatting with the other dragons despite their mock disdain. His behavior provides comic relief and highlights his unusual relationship with the Dragon Race.
• Tang Grand Manager: He proves highly capable and loyal, coordinating Fang Yun’s expansive educational project across the continent. However, he is concerned that the enormous costs may provoke criticism.
• Fang Yun’s classmates: They gradually become accustomed to his presence while continuing to treat him respectfully, allowing him to interact with them more naturally.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility accompanying status: Fang Yun’s rise to Void Sage brings admiration and resources, but he uses them to fulfill broader responsibilities rather than for personal luxury.
• Education and the Instructional Sacred Way: The establishment of book firms, reading facilities, and educational centers reflects Fang Yun’s belief that knowledge can strengthen the entire Human Race.
• Practical governance: His studies and preparations for becoming a county magistrate emphasize that scholarly achievement must be matched by administrative ability.
• Public reputation and criticism: Although Fang Yun sees money as an external possession, the scale of his project creates the possibility of suspicion or opposition.
• Relations among the Human and Dragon races: The Dragon Palace’s financial support and the Dragon Sage’s gift demonstrate growing respect and a complicated alliance between Fang Yun and the Dragon Race.
• Humility amid greatness: Despite his wealth and authority, Fang Yun maintains his routines, treats others normally, and continues learning.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun’s handling of the romantic gifts creates a warm, teasing exchange with Yang Yuhuan, Zhao Hongzhuang, and Su Xiaoxiao.
• His meeting with the Eastern Sea dragons is formal and respectful, while Ao Huang’s lively conversation contrasts with the others’ playful disdain for him.
• Fang Yun and Ao Qingyue discuss the Dragon Sage’s support, the Sacred Land Dragon Pearl, and the debt of gratitude between them.
• Fang Yun’s ordinary interactions with Academy students show that his relationships with classmates remain respectful but increasingly relaxed.
• His late-night and subsequent daily discussions with Tang Grand Manager reveal a secret cooperative effort to build an extensive educational network, as well as the financial and political risks involved.

Chapter Summary: “Fang Clan Library”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun discusses the creation of nearly ten thousand Fang Clan public libraries with Tang Grand Manager. The libraries will offer free access to books, borrowing services, nighttime study through luminous pearls, and eventually guidance from Licentiates.
• Tang warns that the project could provoke bookstore owners, powerful clans, and Great Scholars who may compete for the Instructional Sacred Way and the Human Race’s fortune.
• Fang Yun accepts the danger, declaring that he will tolerate fair competition but will confront those who act openly against him.
• After Tang leaves, Fang Yun receives numerous transmitted letters. Some praise the plan, while others warn that powerful clans may obstruct him, recalling past examples of Great Scholars being suppressed. He is also warned that controversy over his Medical Book may arise at the same time.
• On the first day of the second month, the Literary Gazette announces the opening of the libraries. Although several of Fang Yun’s poems also appear in Sacred Way, the libraries become the main topic of discussion.
• The libraries give poor and ordinary students access to books, nighttime study, employment, and opportunities to seek guidance from Licentiates. They are presented as a major step toward spreading education and reducing the advantages of wealthy families.
• The project receives both enthusiastic support and strong opposition. On the Discourse Ranking, supporters praise Fang Yun as the greatest figure in education since Sage Kong, while members of scholar clans attack the libraries because they fear increased competition from Cold Gate students.

Character Developments

• Fang Yun demonstrates confidence, strategic awareness, and willingness to confront powerful enemies. He understands that the libraries are not merely charitable institutions but may establish a new branch of the Instructional Sacred Way.
• He also reveals a more intimidating side: although his tone remains calm, his anger causes clouds to gather over the capital, showing the power and authority of the Void Sage.
• Tang Grand Manager acts as a cautious adviser. He recognizes the project’s benefits but emphasizes the political and social dangers it may create.
• The poor and Cold Gate students gain new possibilities for advancement, while wealthy and aristocratic students begin to view them as serious competitors.

Significant Themes

• Equal access to education: The libraries challenge the unequal distribution of books, study time, and instruction.
• Social mobility and class conflict: The project threatens entrenched advantages held by wealthy scholar clans by enabling poorer students to compete more effectively.
• Public benefit versus private interests: Though the libraries benefit the Human Race as a whole, they harm those who profit from limited educational opportunities.
• The Instructional Sacred Way: Education is portrayed as a force capable of earning sacred recognition and reshaping society.
• Resistance to reform: The chapter emphasizes that major improvements often provoke opposition from groups whose privileges are threatened.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yun and Tang Grand Manager debate the risks and rewards of the libraries. Tang warns him about opposition, while Fang Yun insists that fair competitors are acceptable but covert obstruction will be punished.
• Fang Yun responds respectfully to the many letters of support and warning, showing that he values information and maintains relationships with influential figures.
• The broader interaction between Fang Yun’s reform and the scholar clans becomes the central conflict: supporters see him as spreading Sage Kong’s educational ideals, while opponents fear the rise of new competitors from the Cold Gate.

Chapter Summary

Debate over Fang Yun’s Book Repositories

Public opinion on the Discourse Ranking shifts in Fang Yun’s favor. Supporters argue that the Book Repositories will increase literacy, Literary Qi, and the number of Imperial Examination positions, ultimately benefiting the Human Race. They accuse scholar clans of defending selfish privilege and emphasize that the examinations should select the capable rather than protect established families. Some critics remain dissatisfied, but neutral observers increasingly support Fang Yun.

Long-term significance and opposition

Ao Huang praises Fang Yun’s plan to establish Book Repositories across the Human Race, potentially reaching 100,000 to 300,000 institutions. Although Fang Yun may personally control only about 100,000, the project could cost more than 200 million taels of silver annually and will likely provoke rival families competing for its influence over the “Instructional Sacred Way.” Su Xiaoxiao notes that establishing 100,000 repositories would already count as “Enlightening the World,” strengthening Fang Yun’s future path toward Saint Enfeoffment. Fang Yun explains that this power is associated with the achievements of Second Saints, though its exact requirements remain uncertain.

Fang Yun prepares to leave the Academy

Yang Yuhuan reminds Fang Yun that he will soon finish his studies and depart for Ning’an to take office as county magistrate. Fang Yun agrees to rest and prepare for the challenges of governing. At his final Palace Examination class, teachers from several fields gather with the fifty Metropolitan Graduates for an open discussion. Fang Yun’s exceptional knowledge impresses them so much that they compile his answers into a reference volume.

Warnings about local administration

Teacher Cheng cautions the students that county magistrates must not underestimate local powerful families or petty officials. These low-ranking, often hereditary clerks control much of local administration and can obstruct a magistrate’s work, damage his official evaluations, or force him out of office. The lesson emphasizes that governing a county is politically complex and that even an apparently powerful magistrate may be undermined by entrenched local interests.

Fang Yun’s governing philosophy

Asked what matters most for a county magistrate, Fang Yun advocates “balance and restraint.” He explains that this is more precise than the broad and potentially empty phrase “the Doctrine of the Mean.” The teachers praise his answer as practical, disciplined, and free of vague generalities.

Sudden crisis and ominous declaration

Teacher Dong then challenges Fang Yun by asking what he would do if unforeseen circumstances arose in Ning’an. Before Fang Yun can fully answer, his Official Seal sends an urgent message related to family or state affairs. His expression changes, and he leaves the classroom. Referring simultaneously to the controversy over the Book Repositories and Teacher Dong’s question, he declares: “Things compete by nature; the fit survive!”

Character Developments and Interactions

• Fang Yun appears increasingly confident, politically aware, and prepared to govern, while still concealing the full extent of his knowledge. His final statement signals a readiness to confront both ideological opponents and unexpected crises.
• Ao Huang continues to admire Fang Yun openly, though he is frustrated that Fang Yun will not personally control the maximum possible number of Book Repositories. He also enjoys seeing Fang Yun challenged by the teachers.
• Su Xiaoxiao recognizes the spiritual and political importance of Fang Yun’s educational project.
• Yang Yuhuan acts supportively and practically, encouraging Fang Yun to rest before assuming office.
• The teachers, especially Cheng and Dong, serve as mentors and challengers: Cheng warns about bureaucratic resistance, while Dong tests Fang Yun’s ability to respond to emergencies.
• Fang Yun’s classmates admire his brilliance but also recognize the seriousness of the challenges awaiting him in Ning’an.

Major Themes

• Competition and natural selection: The chapter frames social and political advancement as a struggle in which capable people and institutions replace weaker ones.
• Education versus inherited privilege: The Book Repositories threaten entrenched scholar clans by broadening access to learning and examinations.
• Public good versus selfish interests: Fang Yun’s opponents are portrayed as defending family advantage, while his supporters argue that educational expansion benefits the entire Human Race.
• The difficulty of governance: Formal authority is insufficient when local bureaucracies and entrenched interests can obstruct a magistrate.
• Balance and adaptability: Effective leadership requires restraint under ordinary conditions but the ability to respond decisively when unforeseen crises arise.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yun abruptly leaves after receiving an urgent message, declaring that “survival of the fittest” is the principle that will prevail. His unusually fierce words unsettle the scholars, who sense a frightening, almost primordial force behind them.
• The teachers debate whether Fang Yun’s statement represents a new or especially powerful Sacred Way. Master Cheng explains that truly great expressions of the Sacred Way require a powerful underlying path, not merely correct words.
• A strange circular dark cloud suddenly forms over the capital despite the clear weather. Its violent movement and oppressive heavenly aura reveal that Fang Yun’s anger has produced the phenomenon known as a Void Sage’s wrath.
• The scholars discover that the king of Qing Kingdom has ordered Fang Yun’s Clan Library Archive to undergo registration and investigation before it may open. This effectively delays the library’s spread.
• The Clan of the Sage Zong then announces plans to establish competing Zong Family Libraries throughout Qing Kingdom, from counties down to villages. The scholars recognize this as an attempt to seize Fang Yun’s Instructional Sacred Way by copying and preempting his project.
• News follows that the Lei Family has imposed similar restrictions in Thunder Province of Jia Kingdom, suggesting that other powerful families may imitate the strategy.
• The capital’s scholars erupt in fury, while others despair over their inability to retaliate. Some propose Literary Battles, public denunciations, Sage Judgment, or other forms of resistance, but many fear that delays will allow rival libraries to dominate before Fang Yun’s can open.
• The chapter ends with calls for Fang Yun to endure the humiliation temporarily and wait for the day when he will possess enough power to avenge the insult.

2. Character Developments

• Fang Yun: His normally restrained and respectful personality gives way to intense anger. His statement about survival and his departure suggest a major change in attitude: he is no longer willing to tolerate enemies quietly obstructing his Sacred Way. His anger is powerful enough to manifest as a supernatural cloud.
• Master Cheng: Provides a scholarly interpretation of Fang Yun’s words, arguing that they may point toward a deeper and more powerful Sacred Way.
• Gao Yong: Becomes one of the most openly furious defenders of Fang Yun and Jing Kingdom. He vows that he would refuse to bow even to a Sage if the Zong Family’s actions were sanctioned by one.
• Master Dong, old Flower Lord, and the other scholars: Their outrage demonstrates how deeply Fang Yun’s cause has become tied to Jing Kingdom’s hopes for survival. Even normally dignified figures resort to furious denunciations and profanity.
• The Zong and Lei Families: Are portrayed as opportunistic political rivals willing to exploit bureaucracy and competition to undermine Fang Yun without directly banning him.

3. Significant Themes

• Power struggle over the Sacred Way: The libraries are not merely educational institutions; they represent control over the Instructional Sacred Way and the future influence of Fang Yun’s teachings.
• Political obstruction and shameless competition: Qing Kingdom and the Zong Family manipulate registration and investigation requirements to delay Fang Yun while rapidly establishing their own competing libraries.
• National survival and betrayal: Jing Kingdom is already weakened by war with the Grass Barbarians, making Fang Yun’s rise a source of hope. The scholars view Qing Kingdom’s actions as a betrayal and an attempt to destroy Jing Kingdom’s chance of recovery.
• Righteous anger versus strategic endurance: The chapter contrasts the desire to retaliate immediately with the practical need for Fang Yun to endure temporarily until he gains greater authority and strength.
• The vulnerability of a Void Sage: Although Fang Yun has achieved extraordinary status, he is still not a Half-Sage and therefore remains vulnerable to political schemes by powerful families.
• Collective loyalty: The scholars’ anger shows that Fang Yun has earned widespread respect and that his enemies’ actions have united Jing Kingdom’s intellectual community against them.

4. Character Interactions

• The teachers and students initially discuss Fang Yun’s frightening words and speculate about their connection to the Sacred Way.
• Master Cheng challenges the others’ assumptions by explaining the difference between ordinary and grand manifestations of the Sacred Way.
• After learning of the library restrictions, the scholars collectively shift from curiosity to outrage, loudly condemning Qing Kingdom, the Zong Family, and the Lei Family.
• Gao Yong openly declares his willingness to defy even Sage authority, showing the depth of his loyalty to Fang Yun.
• The scholars debate possible responses—including Literary Battles, public denunciation, Sage Judgment, and patient endurance—but cannot agree on an effective immediate solution.
• Their final discussions reveal both their admiration for Fang Yun and their fear that enemies will use delay to steal the advantage represented by his libraries.