Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 841 Don’t forget your original intention
This leader of the Shu Mountain sect is indeed a complex figure—having cultivated for two lifetimes, his Dao heart is as firm as a rock.

Even though their positions differed, they didn't hesitate to lend a helping hand in matters concerning Yunmeng, a magnanimity that is truly admirable.

Unfortunately... He shook his head and put the sword pellet into his sleeve.

The relationship between him and Long Eyebrows is destined to be one of life and death.

Three encounters exhausted most of the opponent's tactics and revealed most of their own trump cards.

The other party could also deduce that the last cloud had fallen into the hands of Baoan Hall. If Zhou Qingyun successfully entered the Dao again, Changmei would inevitably face a backlash of fortune.

By then, let alone becoming an immortal, the chance of even being reincarnated and starting anew will be slim.

"Soon..." Xu Xuan looked towards the western horizon, which was the direction of Mount Shu.

Four of the seven cultivations have been gathered. The dragon is named Golden Alligator, the toad is named Water Mother, the tortoise is named Black Tortoise, and the snake is named Azure Spirit.

Only the three swords missing—the rooster named Tianxiao, the rabbit named Yangpo, and the centipede named Chisu—are needed to complete the Seven Cultivation Swords.

Zhou Qingyun's destiny also lies in this calamity, which in turn triggers the fortunes of the Three Heroes and Two Clouds, allowing Mount Shu to rise from the ashes and turn adversity into prosperity.

Moreover, Li Yingqi has received the fortune of the old Shu Mountain, and with the power of the destiny star of death, he will surely fight to the death.

The final showdown between the two forces could erupt at any moment.

Who knows how big the upheaval will be then? It might not even compare to the calamity of Yunmeng.

At this moment, Yu Bai reported another piece of news: Li wanted to embark on the path of cultivation.

Perhaps it was witnessing firsthand the helplessness of ordinary people under natural disasters that finally inspired this water conservancy expert to seek the Dao.

"Cultivation?" Xu Xuan seemed to be thinking.

Although the overall situation of Dongting Lake has been settled, if Xiaoqing is to go north to manage the water in the future, she will indeed need a person who is proficient in hydrology to assist her.

Besides... in this life, one should always try some interesting things.

As for the cost? That's a personal choice.

Xu Xuan took out a jade scroll that shimmered with water from the jade pot. It was the "Great Mysterious Heaven Chapter" left behind by Min Jianxian back then.

The signature technique of the East Sea Mother Palace lineage is considered the pinnacle of the Water Element Dao.

"Give it to him." Xu Xuan handed the jade slip to Yu Bai. "Just say... flood control and Taoist cultivation are essentially the same thing."

"Having mastered this technique, one must henceforth prioritize the well-being of the world."

The jade slip felt cool to the touch, and its surface faintly emitted the sound of tides.

Yu Bai carefully put it away, then turned and took his leave.

I thought the return journey would be smooth sailing after crossing the river, but I ended up staying in Suzhou for another day.

Prefect Song Qingtian of Wu County specially prepared a banquet in the city to entertain the students of the academy, and also took the opportunity to build a relationship with his powerful patron.

The banquet was set up in the courtyard, and all the important figures in Wu County were present.

This is the result of education and guidance, and everyone can share in the benefits.

In the study in the backyard, Song Qingtian was pleading for something.

Because he really couldn't bring himself to call him "brother," he wanted to ask Xu Xuan to lower the seniority of our old Song.

After all, what merit do I have to be sworn brothers with such an influential figure as you? How about I just be your nephew, Song Xian?

...The sincerity in his tone was so touching that it brought tears to my eyes.

The Stone King, standing to the side, was somewhat bewildered. Even though he had some understanding of the human world, this fat man in his forties... the human race was still too complicated.

Of course, Xu Xuan really couldn't stand a fat uncle who was more than 20 years older than him being his nephew or niece, and adoptive father was absolutely out of the question.

"Brother, we must not forget our original aspirations."

That's a very classy way to put it.

As for what the original intention is...

Song Youde is now fully aware of the situation. He accepts his position and role in this grand scheme with equanimity and clarity, without any resentment at being manipulated as a pawn.

If my dear brother tells me to be a good person, I will be a good person; if my dear brother tells me to be a virtuous person, I will be a virtuous person.

After all, his virtuous brother was a master among masters and a ruthless man among ruthless men.

He knew a thing or two about how the young master of the Xun family had died, and he also knew a little about how the former prefect had died. In the past year or two, he had also learned a great deal about demons and monsters.

The more you know, the more afraid you become, and the more afraid you become... Suddenly you feel calm, and even a little smug.

The only problem with following such a powerful figure is that he might not be wicked enough, decisive enough, or ruthless enough.

Xu Xuan, on the contrary, exceeded all expectations in this regard, giving people a faint sense of security.

So we've been in the same boat for a long time. I, Song Youde, was one of the original members of Baoan Hall.

Xu Xuan was secretly pleased with his "wise brother's" honest smile.

If the other party becomes disloyal after being promoted to a high position, he really can't bring himself to kill them—after all, they've been together for so many years, there's bound to be some affection between them.

"My dear brother."

"Hey."

"You sit down too."

Xu Xuan looked helplessly at Song Youde, who stood ramrod straight the whole time.

The two talked for a long time, but the prefect maintained a subordinate's posture throughout, making him very uncomfortable. He wasn't some godfather of Yangzhou, so why was he being so formal?

Song Youde then sat down with an embarrassed smile, only daring to sit on half of the chair.

“I will be going to Luoyang next year,” Xu Xuan said, tapping the table lightly. “I will entrust this small piece of land in Wu County to you, my worthy brother.”

"Understood!" Song Youde subconsciously tried to get up and bow again, but Xu Xuan pressed him back down with a look.

"Do a good job," Xu Xuan said casually, as if discussing dinner menus. "The situation in Yangzhou is settled, and I will transfer you to the capital in the future."

If anyone else had said this, it would have been utterly arrogant. How dare a newly successful candidate in the imperial examinations point fingers at the head of a prefecture? But Song Youde grinned from ear to ear, repeatedly agreeing with him.

In truth, he preferred to stay in Yangzhou.

With the emperor far away and the sky high, wouldn't it be wonderful to be a local tyrant? But once he's on this ship, he has no choice but to turn the rudder in his own direction.

"Ahem, my dear brother. The transfer order for Magistrate Ximen has already been sent to Yangzhou. I wonder..." Song Youde seemed to remember something, rubbing his hands as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.

"Oh, it's already been approved. I'll take office after the New Year," Xu Xuan replied casually.

It's a simple matter; it was just a small request I casually mentioned a few days ago when I was treating Governor He.

Without interference from officials, the position of magistrate of Qiantang County is hardly significant. Moreover, this position has recently become quite unlucky, and respectable officials avoid it like the plague.

“Magistrate Ximen is mediocre in talent, but his character is acceptable.” Xu Xuan took a sip of tea. “He has just gone through the case of his rebellious son, and is currently at a low point in his life…”

The implication is clear.

Such disgraced yet principled officials were exactly the kind of companions Baoantang favored. In Xu Xuan's plan to build a strong foundation in Jiangnan, such people played an irreplaceable role.

Song Youde nodded repeatedly as he listened, but a fine layer of sweat broke out on his back.

He then realized that he had submitted the report and his younger brother had approved it.

The process went even more smoothly than I had imagined.

After the banquet, the students of the academy set off on their journeys home in twos and threes.

The Jiangnan region has been thoroughly ravaged by Bao'an Hall, so there's no need to worry about safety. Besides, who wouldn't be eager to return home after passing the imperial examination?

Ning Caichen carried his book box straight to Jinhua, wishing he could sprout wings and fly home.

He wanted to let his hardworking mother see with her own eyes that her son was now a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, and that he would surely be able to provide her with a life of luxury in the future.

Ji Rui hurried home. He heard that his father had returned a few days earlier to prepare an extremely lavish celebration—booking all the pleasure boats in the city and inviting all the famous actors in Suzhou, all in anticipation of his beloved son's triumphant return.

Even Zao, a classmate, headed towards Guobei County alone. Homeless, he planned to burn some paper money in front of the ruins of his old house, both to commemorate his deceased relatives and to say goodbye to his former cowardly self.

In the end, only Xu Xuan returned to Chongqi Academy.

From afar, we could see Madam Yin leading the professors to greet us at the academy gate.

Professor Gu laughed so hard his beard trembled, and stepped forward to pat Xu Xuan's shoulder heavily: "Hanwen! Our reform is truly the first of its kind in the history of the academy! In the future, the academy's history will definitely have a separate chapter dedicated to you and me!"

Professor Taishi leaned on his cane, squinting as he meticulously etched this scene into his mind.

This old gentleman, whose pen is as sharp as a knife, is already planning how to embellish this beautiful story tonight.

Professor Shi immediately plucked the strings of his zither and played "The Deer's Cry" with great enthusiasm. Ning Caichen was his prized student, and now that he had passed the imperial examination with flying colors, he was even happier than if he had passed it himself.

Professor Qin, however, stroked his beard with a complicated expression: "Ji Rui, that kid... cough..." He swallowed the words back.

Anyway, he never expected this day to come, and... he was even happier!

They can say all sorts of nice things, but being a mathematician doesn't necessarily mean you're clueless about human relationships.

The other professors were also overjoyed. Fifteen people passed the imperial examination! This was a glorious achievement, surpassing even Bailu Academy!
At their age, wealth and power are fleeting; what's truly satisfying is being able to outdo their old friends in teaching and nurturing students.

The messengers on Nanshan Mountain have been running themselves ragged lately; the boastful letters from these old scholars to their former classmates could probably fill several large boxes.

Despite receiving so much praise, Coach Xu remained humble, simply saying, "I will never forget my original aspiration."

As for what the original intention was, no one asked. After all, we're all scholars, and our answers are all very similar. There's no point in asking that.

Why not ask Xu Hanwen about the amusing story of how he beat dozens of constables to death?

In a corner of the crowd, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai stood side by side, their eyes filled with envy.

"When...when will we be able to pass the imperial examination?" Zhu Yingtai murmured. She had completely forgotten that she was a woman; she couldn't even pass the initial body search for the imperial examination.

After the excitement, the academy returned to peace.

As night deepened, inside the Third Affiliated Hospital.

Xu Xuan wore a moon-white scholar's robe, and the openwork cloud pattern on the jade belt at his waist shone brightly in the moonlight.

Sitting alone at the stone table, I tap my fingertips lightly on the celadon teacup, gazing absently at the gradually rounding moon on the horizon.

"Tuk, Tuk, Tuk."

Three soft sounds suddenly broke the silence of the courtyard.

The knocking was measured and unhurried, yet it made Xu Xuan pause slightly.

The door opened slightly, and moonlight poured in like water.

Bai Suzhen, dressed in white as snow, stood before the steps. A single silver hairpin adorned her hair, yet she appeared even more serene and aloof than the full moonlight of the garden.

However, a dark cloud happened to block out the full moon at that moment, which is not a good omen.

(End of this chapter)