Advancing to Ninth Rank, Autumn-Gazing Mountain, and the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure

Southern Yu Prefecture.

Inside a sprawling residence.

Hundreds of young men sat in the courtyard.

They all wore identical dark green robes and were students of Bright Dawn Academy.

An elderly man sat in their midst.

He looked to be in his sixties, with white eyebrows, and wore a Confucian robe covered in patches.

The robe looked terribly old, with some spots washed almost white. Clearly, the old man was exceedingly frugal.

He was Wan Anguo, the former head of Bright Dawn Academy, a Sixth-Rank Orthodox Confucian who had already established his thesis.

One more step would make him a Grand Confucian renowned throughout the world.

But he was already eighty, and he was unlikely to break through this rank in his remaining years.

It seemed a difference of only one rank, yet in truth, the gap was as vast as heaven and earth.

Of course, compared with a Grand Confucian, a Sixth-Rank Orthodox Confucian was nothing remarkable.

But to the vast majority of scholars in the world, a Sixth-Rank Orthodox Confucian stood high above the clouds, impossibly out of reach.

"Teacher, we traveled all the way from Bright Dawn Prefecture just to meet Xu Qingxiao, yet he hasn't shown his face even once. He truly has no respect for us scholars."

"Exactly, Teacher. If we had neither standing nor affiliation, that would be one thing. But Bright Dawn Academy is the foremost academy in Changping Commandery. How much have we contributed to Great Wei over the years? It's one thing for Xu Qingxiao to disrespect us, but we represent Bright Dawn Academy. We cannot swallow this insult."

"Teacher, Xu Qingxiao is arrogant because of his talent. It's truly infuriating. Even if he looks down on us, you've come here, and he still won't meet you. This goes beyond pride