My virtue is above yours.

Chen Jingxuan said in surprise, "I thought it was just a legend. The only reliable historical record we have is from the establishment of the Dayu Dynasty 1,300 years ago. Before that, there are only many different legends about Niwan Jun ending the chaos, rebuilding order, and even his death."

Cui Cheng nodded: "That's right. There's no definite historical record of the story of Niwan-jun, and the legends are varied, but none of the legends can erase Niwan-jun's achievement of ending the chaotic world. There are also many ancient sites that can corroborate the chaos caused by gods and demons. The existence of Niwan-jun is undeniable; it's just that many things are unclear."

Take, for example, the Shengyang Academy. Master Bi said that the Shengyang Academy was founded by the Mud King so that everyone in the world could study. Therefore, the academy did not require tuition fees; people of all ages and genders could study there, and food and lodging were free. It is said that there were originally nine Shengyang Academies in the world, but now only this one remains.

Based on the description, Shengyang Academy seems to be a Hope Primary School that also serves as a literacy school and an orphanage.

No wonder there were couplets advocating equality in the main hall, and the children read some rather blasphemous content; it turns out they were all taken from that Mudball Lord who saved the world.

That's not surprising, after all, in legends, Mudball Lord is the hero who ended the oppression of the Heavenly Court.

More than the legends, Chen Jingxuan was concerned about the practical problems at hand: "If the academy doesn't accept tuition fees, how will it maintain its daily operations?"

Cui Cheng explained, "According to the ancient system of Niwanjun, it should be funded by the imperial court, which is also a legendary matter. Nowadays, the imperial court naturally won't interfere. Take what I experienced, for example. Before Master Bi passed away, the academy's expenses were borne by a student who graduated from the academy. He passed the imperial examination, became a high-ranking official, and funded the academy's daily expenses. It was this student."

Cui Cheng stood up and pointed to a portrait of an official in a red robe, with the name "Zhu Wancheng" written in the corner of the portrait.

Chen Jingxuan glanced at the old abbot's tattered scholar's robe, which didn't seem to indicate he had received any financial assistance: "And now?"

Cui Cheng sighed and sat down: "Ever since Lord Zhu passed away, the academy's situation has plummeted. At that time, Master Bi had just passed away, and I took over as the headmaster to teach the children. Your master became a disciple of the Tianyi Dao sect. He was just a junior Daoist then, earning only six qian of silver a month. He would give five qian to the academy, and in addition, he would tell fortunes and perform rituals, giving all the money he earned to the academy. I also copied documents and wrote letters for others, which allowed the academy to barely survive. Fortunately, he was promising and became a disciple of the Celestial Master, becoming a high-ranking priest in red robes, and he even had his own Daoist temple. He could give more money to the academy then."

Chen Jingxuan suddenly realized why the temple was so poor. He had to wear patched clothes since he was a child, and even so, people would come to ask his master for a sum of money every month. It turned out that it was all for the sake of the academy.

He then asked, "Now that the academy is facing such a crisis, why didn't you tell my master?"

Cui Cheng turned around and pointed to two jujube trees, one tall and one short, laden with fruit, in the courtyard: "Do you see those two trees?"

Chen Jingxuan asked, puzzled, "I saw it. What are you trying to say? One is a jujube tree, and the other is also a jujube tree?"

"These two jujube trees were planted by the two of us back then. The one he planted is much taller, with lush branches and abundant fruit. In comparison, mine pales in comparison. Just like the two of us," Cui Cheng sighed.

Chen Jingxuan comforted him, "It's just a tree. Even if you feel you're not as good as my master, you shouldn't throw a tantrum when the academy is facing a life-or-death situation."

"It's not that I'm being emotional." Cui Cheng stood up and stroked the even taller jujube tree. "Master Bi told your master years ago that he was destined for great things. Now he's a high-ranking monk, but things haven't been smooth sailing. I heard he's been ostracized within the sect and exiled to a remote place to run a monastery. I'm just a mortal, a dying man. He, on the other hand, has the air of an immortal, his charisma undiminished. There are still many great things waiting for him to do in the world; he shouldn't be dragged into the vortex of the capital. He's already done enough for the academy; we can't let me and the academy ruin his future, much less jeopardize the great things he's destined for."

Chen Jingxuan stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Headmaster, there's no need to worry so much. My master didn't do anything great; he just played with the dogs and helped the widow water the plants every day."

The headmaster angrily pounded his tree: "It's all my fault for being so useless! I can't even find the house deed and land deed, I've become senile! I can't even find the money, I might as well burn it as firewood along with this tree!"

Chen Jingxuan was certain that the old man was just being emotional.

He quickly said, "The academy has shown my master great kindness, and my Fuyun Temple will certainly not stand idly by. Leave this matter to me."

The headmaster held his hand and said earnestly, "Young man, there's no need for this. This matter is difficult to resolve."

"I'll do my best. Let's look for the house title and land deed again; maybe they're just lying in some corner."

"I've already looked for it."

Chen Jingxuan searched the academy thoroughly, turning it upside down, even searching under the broken artificial hill, and almost dug up the soil in the courtyard.

After a fruitless search, he had no choice but to bid farewell to the academy and make further plans for the future.

Chen Jingxuan returned home and went straight to his senior sister's room.

He had just knocked on his senior sister's door when a slender hand hooked his chin from behind: "Oh, Xiao Quan'er, you missed me so much? You couldn't wait to see me as soon as you got home."

"I don't have time to play with you today, I have important business to attend to. Call your senior brother out too."

Chen Jingxuan's serious tone immediately made Lu Yunci suppress her smile.

The three gathered in the house, closed the doors and windows, dismissed the servants, and Chen Jingxuan recounted his experiences of the day in their entirety.

After listening, Lu Yunci rested her chin on her hand and nodded: "No wonder Jiang Zhen wanted to take your area. It turns out that her senior brother had already investigated and found out that something big was going to happen in the academy during the last round of duty, so she came to take it. It is indeed a good opportunity."

"This is a big problem." Zhu Lingyun wiped the sword in his hand. "The academy has lost its house and land deeds, and the demolition is the imperial court's intention. As disciples of the Daoist sect, we should not interfere in worldly affairs. Furthermore, the academy's philosophy is unacceptable to the imperial court. This matter is difficult to handle."

Lu Yunci looked at Chen Jingxuan and asked, "So, do we still want this opportunity?"

Without hesitation, Chen Jingxuan replied, "Of course I want to. It's not just for the opportunity, but also for my master. Without the academy, there would be no master. If the academy hadn't taught my master to cultivate good relationships, he wouldn't have taken in the three of us orphans as his disciples. We wouldn't have the chance to sit in this house today. If it weren't for the academy, where would we be now? I would definitely have died of illness long ago, lying on the hill with my mother."

Lu Yunci blinked in a daze: "I should have already been eaten by the monster."

"I died long ago on the way south to escape famine." Zhu Lingyun put down the sword in his hand.

Chen Jingxuan stood up: "Therefore, we must take care of this matter. I will not feel at ease if we do not." Feeling at ease will affect one's cultivation. This matter must be taken care of, whether out of emotion or self-interest.

"I agree. I don't want to dream about those displaced orphans at night." Lu Yunci grasped Chen Jingxuan's outstretched hand, then turned to Zhu Lingyun and said, "Dark-faced man, haven't you always admired the legend of the Mud King quelling rebellions? Aren't you going to join us?"

Zhu Lingyun immediately placed her hands on the two of them: "I'll join."

Chen Jingxuan smiled and said, "Very well, then we three heroes of Fuyun Temple will join forces! Listen to my plan."