The Path of the Sage

"Shi Dehong is right! Fang Yun is far too dangerous. Even Historian Jun is optimistic about him and risks offending Poet Jun for his sake. If he doesn't die, I'll undoubtedly meet my end! Book Mountain is my chance! I will not miss this opportunity! Although I'm not sure about the specifics of Book Mountain, if there's a way to sabotage his journey there, I'll spare no effort!"

As Tong Li walked, his thoughts intensified. His eyes grew more resolute and his expression more sinister.

"Fang Yun, don't blame me! If you lose, it's fine. But if you beat us, both Shi Dehong and I will take our own lives! Then, my grandfather and Poet Jun will undoubtedly seek revenge on you. Even if you escape to the ends of the world, you can't outrun them! Killing you for other reasons might jeopardize The Courage to Write, but to avenge a disciple or offspring, the Holy Academy cannot strip them of their literary position!"

Tong Li looked up in the direction of the Holy Academy.

"I refuse to believe that you, Fang Yun, are so important that a Sage would personally come to your aid!"

In stark contrast to the grief-stricken Tong Li, Fang Yun and his companions were celebrating, with Presented Scholar Qian and others joining in the congratulations.

After accepting the well-wishes, as Fang Yun was about to leave, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Fang Yun, come to the Literary Academy." It was the voice of Prefect Dong.

Fang Yun asked Yang Yuhuan and the others to wait for him outside the academy. He entered and met three examiners under a big locust tree.

Prefect Dong spoke gravely, "By now, you might have figured out what happened with your essay."

Fang Yun nodded, "A Semi-Saint must have protected me, fearing that the essay, if leaked, would be misconstrued. I mistakenly believed there was a grave issue with my writing, possibly against The Path of the Saints, which made me very nervous. However, since my essay was awarded the top grade, I began to understand."

"I'm glad you understood. But... we..." Prefect Dong gestured to the sky and then placed three fingers over his mouth.

Fang Yun nodded, "I see. But there's no outsider here now. You can speak, can't you?"

"We should be able to. After all, the power of the Sage is to prevent leaks. If someone from the judicial palace inquires, we can't remain completely silent. However, try to say as little as possible," said Prefect Dong.

"Is it to keep everything airtight? I knew The Heart of Literature could suppress talent and the vitality of the Demon Clan, but I didn't expect it could seal everyone's lips."

Feng Yuanjun said, "The more of The Heart of Literature one has before becoming a Semi-Saint, the stronger one becomes after. It's not just a divinely gifted ability. It grows stronger just like The Courage to Write. When you go to Book Mountain, you must exert all your strength to climb. Aim to obtain The Heart of Literature. Also, there are many secrets in Book Mountain, of which we know very little. Only the prominent families of All the Saints know what's inside. But we know one thing: the better you perform, the more you'll gain! Remember, use all your strength to ascend Book Mountain!"

"I will remember," Fang Yun responded earnestly, sensing an indescribable pressure from Feng Yuanjun's tone.

Zhou Zhubu sighed deeply, "Both of them might be Imperial Scholars, but they, like me – a Presented Scholar, lack The Heart of Literature. We have high hopes for you. We hope that you, like those geniuses, can reach the third peak as an Accomplished Scholar, and after becoming a Presented Scholar, reach the fourth peak, obtaining The Heart of Literature."

"I will not let you all down," promised Fang Yun.

Prefect Dong inquired, "Do you know that The Holy Land has appeared ahead of schedule?"

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"I'm aware," Fang Yun replied.

"Good. If you wish to go there, once you return from Book Mountain, we will prepare matters related to The Holy Land for you. By the way, are you very familiar with the constellations?"

Looking up at the sky, Fang Yun thought that even if he wasn't, he probably knew more than the people here.

"Why do you ask, sir?"

Prefect Dong replied, "In your essay, it seemed as though constellations densely filled the paper, approaching the pinnacle of writing. Your work is as intricate as a chess game, truly exceptional. We are nowhere near your level."

Fang Yun pondered, then said, "When I was young, I often went to the riverside..."

"Ah, you mean the Enlightenment River?" Feng Zimo asked with a smile.

"Yes," Fang Yun had to admit.

Then, Feng Zimo relayed to Prefect Dong about Fang Yun's frequent enlightenment sessions by the river. Zhou Zhubu was already aware.

"After Fang Yun returns from Book Mountain, would you two like to visit the Enlightenment River?"

"We'll definitely go!"

Fang Yun wasn't sure how to respond to them anymore and just let things be.

After a few more admonitions, Fang Yun hesitantly asked, "Sirs, may I have my essay back?"

The three burst into laughter. Zhou Zhubu said, "See? I told you, this Fang Shuangjia... No, Fang Wujia can't part with his own handwritten articles. Fang Yun, don't you wonder why such an important person as Master Shi often goes to the Demon Realm now... Ahem, why did he come personally?"

"For my doctrine?"

"Of course." Zhou Zhubu said with a smile.

Prefect Dong added, "That doctrine will be placed in the Holy Academy, for all the Great Scholars to comprehend."

"What?" Fang Yun looked incredulous. He knew his doctrine was special and drawing the attention of a Great Scholar was one thing, but having them "comprehend" it carried a different significance.

"What do you mean 'what'? Get ready. After tomorrow's saintly homage, you'll be ascending the Book Mountain. Don't be complacent today just because you've been recognized as an Accomplished Scholar!" Prefect Dong instructed.

"Oh, I'll take my leave, sirs," Fang Yun said, turning to leave, pondering as he walked. He couldn't fathom why his doctrine was deemed worthy of a Great Scholar's study.

After a while, he began to understand. "It's not that my abilities surpass those of the Great Scholars, but that I'm exposed to a richer breadth of information. When it comes to The Path of the Saints, I'm still finding my way. But in terms of understanding the trajectory of the era and the world, I see clearer than many. Perhaps, this is the Path of the Saints best suited for me."

Fang Yun continued to contemplate his unique Path of the Saints. At this moment, his inspiration began to flourish.

After leaving the academy, Fang Yun and the others went to a restaurant for a meal. Since they were to ascend Book Mountain the next day, no one drank alcohol.

Fang Yun didn't stay up reading that night. Instead, he went to bed early, rejuvenating his energy.

The academy was silent in the morning, but this tranquility was disrupted as a hundred Accomplished Scholars filed in. Dressed in their deep blue robes, they entered the Holy Temple of the academy together to pay homage to All the Saints, receiving their second downpour of inspiration.

Being a top-ranking Accomplished Scholar, this was Fang Yun's fourth time.

His inspiration grew from three inches to four, with places like the Literature Palace and The Courage to Write being baptized by this inspiration, becoming even stronger.

"Although I'm an Accomplished Scholar, my Literature Palace surpasses the average Presented Scholar. The Courage to Write even exceeds the new Presented Scholars. If I can undergo the tempering of Book Mountain, I might approach the level of an Imperial Scholar. But I'm still not on par with the Semi-Saint's disciple, Yan Yukong. After all, he has been mentored by a Semi-Saint and has been through Book Mountain twice. Once I rank as a Presented Scholar, The Courage to Write will surely match him!"

Lastly, Fang Yun observed his own inspiration. Unlike the smoky inspiration of others, his was like water. After the inspiration downpour, it became even more condensed.

"I wonder how powerful this inspiration can be."

After the inspiration downpour, besides the top ten Accomplished Scholars, everyone else, including the examiners, left the Holy Temple.

"Boom..."

The doors of the Holy Temple closed, leaving only Fang Yun and nine others inside.

Fang Yun silently observed the saints enshrined in the temple. Other than Confucius and the six Sub-Sages, everyone else was ranked. Some had passed away, while others were still alive.

Lastly, Fang Yun's gaze settled on Chen Guanhai's rank, which looked old, as if foreshadowing something.

He looked away only to find that Tongli was glaring at him, hatred evident in his eyes.

"I won't let you ascend Book Mountain smoothly!"

"Oh," Fang Yun replied nonchalantly, frustrating Tongli further.

Suddenly, the entire temple darkened.

Fang Yun felt dizzy and unwell, as if he'd lost his balance, floating in a void.

Before he could think, the darkness dispersed and light returned.

This was no longer the inside of the temple.

A red sun hung in the sky, radiating warmth. Mountains rose in the distance, surrounded by rivers. Closer by, birds chirped and flowers bloomed, covering vast green meadows.

This was an incredibly beautiful place. Every corner felt so comfortable, making one want to stay forever.

However, this world wasn't perfect.

There were ninety states of varying sizes across ten nations, the largest comparable to the whole Jing Kingdom, and the smallest only half the size of Jiang State.

With over eight hundred prefectures and ten individuals chosen from each, along with disciples from the Prominent Family of All the Saints, nearly ten thousand Accomplished Scholars appeared, scattered all around.

These people seemed to be blemishes in this world.

Fang Yun was the first to awaken. He observed his surroundings for a while before the others began to stir.

Fang Yun looked around. The people here were unfamiliar to him. Based on their attire and appearance, they seemed to come from all corners of the world. Everyone was on high alert, no one made any rash moves.

At that moment, a transformation took place on the nearest mountain peak ahead.

What had been an ordinary mountain was now visibly changing. Paths, stairs, pavilions, and gardens began to materialize. Eventually, at the foot, middle, and peak of the mountain, a pavilion emerged at each level.

Beneath the mountain foot, a long river appeared, and atop the river, ten narrow wooden bridges surfaced, each only wide enough for one person to cross.

"Those who cross the bridge, prevail!" A voice suddenly echoed.

Accompanying the voice, an odd wind blew down from the mountain, reaching the riverbank and the crowd.

Fang Yun felt a cold gust of wind on his face, reminiscent of early winter. It felt a bit chilly, yet somewhat comforting.

"Ah..." A scream erupted from a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy about ten meters away.

Fang Yun swiftly turned his attention to the boy, watching as he hastily retreated from the mountain, attempting to distance himself from the peculiar wind.

Glancing around, Fang Yun noticed a large number of people struggling against the wind's force, trying to escape its influence. Many couldn’t even make it to the Book Mountain, let alone cross the river.

Many cried out in pain, and some even fainted from the sheer agony. Others appeared to be in immense pain, but they gritted their teeth and persevered.

"Why don't I feel pain? What kind of place is this? Am I here in spirit or did my entire body enter this place?"

Fang Yun slowly approached the mountain and the solitary wooden bridges. However, more than half of the people didn’t dare to advance. The mysterious wind was just too overwhelming.

Soon, about four to five thousand people gathered in front of the ten wooden bridges.

Here, the bizarre wind was even more fierce. Many were continuously crying out in pain, and some couldn’t bear it and retreated. Regardless of their screams and pain, no one showed signs of physical injury or bleeding.

Yet, Fang Yun still felt no pain.

Soon after, Fang Yun spotted a familiar figure gritting his teeth, appearing to his left.

It was Tong Li.