Chapter 715: The Charm of a Reformer
Di Yiyue looked at Qin Mu again, but still couldn't see any trace of hardship in him. All she could see was this cheerful big boy laughing heartily with a few scholars.
"He truly is a boy with extraordinary charm."
Di Yiyue nodded. "He's not particularly handsome, but he's full of charisma. Actually, we don't need to go see the Yan Kang National Teacher. Just based on this disciple of the Great Heavenly Master, it's already enough for me to help Yan Kang survive this calamity."
"The Yan Kang National Teacher has a different kind of charm."
The Woodcutter Sage revealed a smile. "When you meet him, you'll understand where his other charm comes from. Actually, meeting the Yan Kang National Teacher and Qin Mu suddenly reminded me of those turbulent years when the Kai Huang era was just emerging. When I met Kai Huang and those like-minded people on the silent ruins of the Shang Huang era, the civilization of Shang Huang had already been completely annihilated. We were all people struggling to survive among those ruins."
He fell into recollection, his demeanor very serene, smiling gently. "Who could have imagined that we, who were still struggling in hardship, not knowing where our next meal would come from, would establish a glorious Kai Huang era? When I saw the National Teacher, Qin Mu, and their friends, I unconsciously thought of my former self and those old friends."
Di Yiyue fell silent. After a moment, she shook her head. "No need to bring up the past. Then let's go see him."
"Mu'er, let's continue our journey!" the First Ancestor said loudly.
Qin Mu responded and ran over, laughing. "I want to go to the Heavenly Sage Academy in Ba Prefecture first. I have some things to hand over to Granny Si."
The Woodcutter said, "Let's go to the Heavenly Sage Academy first."
They arrived at the Heavenly Sage Academy. The scene there was different from the Yongjiang Academy. The Yongjiang Academy was experimenting with using the Art of Creation to cultivate medicinal herbs, providing a continuous supply of medicines to all parts of Yan Kang.
But the academic atmosphere at the Heavenly Sage Academy was even more intense. Before they even got close, they could see all kinds of strange and bizarre spirit weapons flying in the sky and running on the ground. Sometimes, something flying in the sky would suddenly emit thick smoke and fall, smashing a big hole in the ground, and then a disheveled scholar would crawl out.
Occasionally, they would see a spirit weapon running on the ground suddenly explode, and the scholar controlling it inside would flail their arms and legs as they were blasted into the sky.
Some scholars were also gathered together testing formations, modifying various arrays, which was also extremely dangerous, with formations frequently getting out of control.
Some formations were sword arrays, with sword light shooting in all directions. Others imitated the forms of gods and demons. When they lost control, divine energy or demonic energy would take the form of gods and demons, relentlessly chasing and attacking the formation controllers.
There was also a group of alchemists and apprentices waiting nearby. When an incident subsided, they would hurriedly carry the injured away for treatment.
"I told you all, mathematics! Mathematics!"
An old Daoist priest, furious and exasperated, shouted at the scholars being carried away on stretchers after their failed experiments: "You must calculate mathematics precisely! You never listen! If you don't listen, you'll only be the ones to suffer!"
"Today, we're going to create a god-demon summoning formation. Based on the Qin Clan's Spiritual Energy Conservation Runes, we can summon a demonic creature from the Netherworld."
On the other side, a middle-aged Imperial Academy instructor was encouraging the scholars he taught, guiding them step by step. "Your teacher is right here. What danger could there be? Relax, relax... According to the Qin Clan's Spiritual Energy Conservation Runes, we need to use some offerings for the exchange. First, let's do the mathematical calculations and design an altar..."
"Teacher, Fifth Senior Brother was captured by the demonic creature!"
"Hey! Demonic creature, where do you think you're going... Xiao Wu, relax, relax. That was just a mistake. Let's try again... Don't run, all of you come back! You can't escape your teacher's grasp—"
...
Di Yiyue looked around, unable to stop herself from sighing in admiration. The atmosphere at the Heavenly Sage Academy gave her a feeling she hadn't had in a long time. It had been ages since she'd felt this kind of vigorous, enterprising spirit.
She had only felt this way back when she was studying Dao techniques and divine abilities with Kai Huang and the others. She loved this feeling very much. Later, after achieving fame and becoming busier, she gradually lost that drive for deep research.
Many scholars at the Heavenly Sage Academy were also manufacturing various daily-use spirit weapons, with all sorts of mishaps occurring.
They passed by a large supervisory factory near the academy. Inside, scholars were testing furnaces with stronger firepower, using them to make all kinds of strange daily-use spirit weapons.
A scholar drove a giant mechanical beast rumbling past them, adjusting the furnace's firepower. Suddenly, a hundred or so sword pellets shot into the air, creating a rain of swords. By using the mechanical beast to amplify his own primal energy, his divine ability's power became dozens of times stronger.
The scholar was overjoyed and adjusted the furnace's firepower again. Then, the mechanical beast's rear and four limbs spewed fire, launching it into the sky. Not long after, a scream came from the sky as the scholar, along with his beast, crashed into a mountain peak.
"Idiot! I've never seen anyone so stupid!"
A deep, rumbling voice came. The Woodcutter Sage followed the sound and saw an old man sitting on a box, holding a jar in both hands, his face buried in the jar's opening. He was talking to the jar, spewing all kinds of curses, his pronunciation clear and his cursing speed incredibly fast.
"It seems to be Grandpa Mute!"
Qin Mu's heart leaped with joy. He quickly stepped forward and said loudly, "Grandpa Mute, has your tongue grown back?"
The old man pulled his face out of the jar. Seeing everyone, he quickly stood up, revealing a simple, honest smile, and gestured rapidly with his hands: "Ah ba, ah ah ba!"
"Grandpa Mute says it hasn't grown back yet. He also says he was rude just now and didn't see all the seniors." Qin Mu helped translate Mute's sign language.
Mute enthusiastically led them on a tour of the Heavenly Sage Academy's supervisory factory, gesturing back and forth, with Qin Mu translating on the side.
Everyone toured around, sighing in admiration. They got up and left the factory, heading towards the academy.
Mute watched them leave, his face darkening. He smashed the jar into pieces with a slap. "You know too many of my secrets, so I can't keep you..."
They entered the Heavenly Sage Academy. The atmosphere inside was even more lively. Di Yiyue sighed, "I finally understand why you support the Yan Kang National Teacher and support Emperor Yan Feng. It's not about power or strategy, but these young people. With these vibrant young people, you made up your mind to support them."
The Woodcutter Sage nodded. "We no longer have their vitality and drive. We older generation only have our own lives and our lifelong skills. We can use our skills and our lives to buy them time, to let them grow. Kai Huang didn't fight his war. We can fight for the Kai Huang era until Yan Kang matures."
Di Yiyue was stunned, smiling bitterly. "I didn't fight for the Kai Huang era either..."
Qin Mu found Granny Si. She was leading some scholars in studying mathematics. She had lowered her status and was diligently studying mathematics alongside the other scholars, trying to make up for her shortcomings.
The one teaching them mathematics was Lin Xuan, the Dao Lord. The couple Xu Shenghua and his wife were also listening nearby. Lin Xuan was, after all, a Dao Lord and had also established a Daoist Academy. He had come this time to give lectures for academic exchange.
After he finished his lectures, he would invite experts from the Heavenly Sage Academy to teach at the Daoist Academy, to make up for its deficiencies.
"Headmaster Qin!"
Everyone hurriedly stood up to pay their respects. Qin Mu returned the greeting, smiling. "Everyone, please don't stand on ceremony. I was passing by and came to have a look. Dao Lord Lin Xuan, I've written a volume of the Tai Wei Calculation Classic. Please take a look and help me review it."
Lin Xuan quickly took it, flipped through a couple of pages, and his expression grew increasingly serious. He said in a deep voice, "Microscopic mathematics?"
Qin Mu nodded. "I deduced the Tai Wei Calculation Classic, and then used this calculation classic to deduce the Heavenly Fire Great Path."
Lin Xuan flipped through it rapidly, sighing with emotion. "Headmaster Qin, this Tai Wei Calculation Classic can do far more than just deduce the Heavenly Fire Great Path! You've created a whole system, and you don't even know it yourself? If you continue deducing based on this calculation classic, who knows how many new mathematical divine abilities you could create!"
Xu Shenghua quickly came over, and their heads bumped together as they read the Tai Wei Calculation Classic. Both their expressions grew increasingly serious, clearly recognizing the importance of the Tai Wei Calculation Classic.
"Every time, the Headmaster creates a system and then just tosses it aside."
Xu Shenghua shook his head. "If you were to continue deducing and deriving based on this Tai Wei Calculation Classic, you would be far more than just a generation's grandmaster. You could be called a Saint King!"
Qin Mu was puzzled, scratching his head. "Is it that important? I just thought it was too tiring to rack my brains alone. Wouldn't it be better if everyone deduced it together?"
Lin Xuan steadied himself and put away the Tai Wei Calculation Classic. "Brother Xu, this was given to me by Headmaster Qin. My Daoist Academy still needs this calculation classic to make a name for itself and stand alongside the other academies. You can't take it from me!"
Xu Shenghua sneered. "What a coincidence. I'm planning to establish a Shang Cang Academy, and I'm also lacking something of my own."
The two stared at each other.
Qin Mu said, "Brother Xu, I'll write another copy for you later. There's no need to quarrel over such a small matter. I also have a course here that I need the Heavenly Sage Academy to research. It's the art of Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities. I'd like to ask Granny to lead some scholars who have expertise in this area to focus on this direction."
Granny Si was surprised. "Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities? You mean the geomagnetic primal force? Mu'er, you want to develop this kind of divine ability?"
"Not just the geomagnetic primal force."
Qin Mu explained. "If it were just the geomagnetic primal force, it would be too simple. There's also Yuan Magnetic force between the stars and constellations in the sky. For example, if we go to the alien star of the Chi Ming remnant race, we'll find ourselves attracted by the Yuan Magnetic force. We have to resist the alien star's Yuan Magnetic force to fly. This shows that the Yuan Magnetic force between stars is also extremely powerful. If it could be developed, it might become an extremely formidable system of divine abilities."
Granny Si's eyes lit up. "My Da Luo Tian Star Force Field is somewhat similar to the Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities you mentioned. The most convenient place to study Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities is the intersection of Tai Huang Tian, Luo Fu Tian, and the Great Ruins. The Yuan Magnetic force there is complex, making it the most suitable place for research!"
Qin Mu silently praised her intelligence and continued, "You've cultivated the Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities from the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Scripture, so you're perfectly suited for this research. Studying Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities also requires a considerable level of mathematical skill. Granny, how has your mathematical cultivation been progressing these days? I carefully calculated the Yuan Magnetic force field on the way and wrote down a few equations. First, see if you can understand them."
Xu Shenghua's curiosity was piqued again. He came closer and said, "Brother Qin, may I have a look?"
Qin Mu took out a few sheets of paper. Granny Si studied them for a while, figuring out the meaning of the runes in the equations, and smiled. "I can barely understand them, but I'll need some mathematical experts to help."
Xu Shenghua also understood, praising, "Ingenious design. Using your equations, we can deduce the prototypes of a dozen or so basic Yuan Magnetic runes. Although they are still rudimentary, having a direction allows us to continue developing the Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities. Brother Qin, why don't you research this yourself? If you continued your research, you might be able to add a whole new system of divine abilities to the world, and even the Heavenly Dao would have to change because of it!"
Qin Mu sighed. "Where do I have the time? You develop it, and I'll just learn it."
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
This guy kept finding research directions, even creating research methods. He could clearly achieve great things, even become a Saint King. Yet he was unwilling to continue researching, instead throwing these trivial matters to them to complete.
"Brother Xu, is your Shang Cang Academy going to research the Tai Wei Calculation Classic, or the Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities?"
Lin Xuan chuckled. "You can't take both directions, can you? You have to choose one path."
Xu Shenghua was torn between the two.
Both directions were important. The Tai Wei Calculation Classic was more significant, and continuing its research would yield greater achievements. The Yuan Magnetic Divine Abilities, on the other hand, could create a magnificent system of Yuan Magnetic divine abilities from scratch. Although it might not be as great an achievement as the Tai Wei Calculation Classic, it was still no small matter, making it hard for him to choose!
---Wishing the leader of the Mu Shen alliance, Rong Er, a happy birthday, good health, family happiness, and beauty every day!