Night fell, the moon climbed into the sky, accompanied by stars.
Jia Ma Holy City remained brightly lit, with crowds undiminished, but unlike the bustling excitement of the daytime, it held more of the everyday feel of life.
On the top floor of the Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant, friends gathered like clouds, and honored guests filled the seats.
Since everyone was there, Zhao Li told them that he would be staying for a few months and opening an academy, hoping they would look after it.
They simply assumed Zhao Li was a reclusive master, playing in the mundane world, and expressed their full support.
On the other side, Susan, Yun Yun, and Yun Xin'er gathered together.
Susan and Yun Yun were old acquaintances, both considered among the top female powerhouses in the Jia Ma Empire, like two bright stars.
Given the strength and talent Yun Xin'er displayed, they naturally wouldn't underestimate her and were extremely willing to form a good relationship with this little sister.
"For someone so young to have such achievements, your future is boundless. May I ask where you come from? We even share the same surname, this is no ordinary fate. Are you willing to join my Cloud Mist Sect?"
Yun Yun congratulated Yun Xin'er on winning the Alchemist Competition and extended an invitation to recruit her.
Yun Xin'er thought that since she had run all the way to the Jia Ma Empire, her family probably wouldn't be able to find her. After thinking it over, she agreed.
She was from the Yun Family in the Central Plains. In recent years, due to disputes and conflicts, her family had gradually declined. When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down, and the large Yun Family was almost driven out of White Cloud City. Her family had married her off to a friendly force to maintain relations through marriage.
She pursued freedom and was unwilling to become a tool for political marriage, so she escaped, leaving the Central Plains alone, enduring hardships along the way, and hiding in the Jia Ma Empire.
She was wary and naturally wouldn't reveal these matters, only fabricating a story about venturing out to explore.
Fate works in mysterious ways. If she had told her story, Zhao Li would have discovered that Yun Xin'er was exactly the person from the Yun Family that his teacher, Lin Lan, had asked him to visit.
During the dinner, although everyone had their own thoughts, the atmosphere was lively and harmonious, with hosts and guests enjoying themselves.
The few people achieved their goal of visiting and befriending Zhao Li, and Zhao Li also achieved his goal of interacting with them to understand the situation.
The deep, dark night seemed like boundless thick ink heavily smeared across the horizon, without even the faint glow of stars.
At the Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant, everyone departed. Zhao Li bathed in the cold moonlight, looking up to see a crescent moon hanging alone outside the window. The previously brightly lit city gradually dimmed, and the noise slowly faded away.
Meeting like strangers, all are guests from other lands.
Standing for a long time, Zhao Li inexplicably recalled this line and felt a sense of melancholy, then smiled.
"Zhao Li, oh Zhao Li, even the Flame Emperor a hundred years from now won't be your fellow countryman."
...
The next morning, Zhao Li went to the academy to take a look and found that everything was ready except for the students.
Zhao Li thought for a moment, then slipped into a nearby village, once again chatting with the neighbors, talking about everyday matters. After a few back and forths, they became familiar with each other.
Everyone also learned about Zhao Li opening the academy. Although they didn't know Zhao Li's capabilities, the people who occasionally came to visit Zhao Li were not simple. The common folk were simple but not foolish. Families with children were all willing to send them to listen to Zhao Li's lessons.
Zhao Li's academy thus opened for business, and the following days became busy.
After two days of classes at the academy, Susan brought Ao Feng to visit. After Zhao Li finished teaching, he chatted with the two of them and gave them pointers several times. Zhao Li's insights were profound, and the issues he pointed out were spot on. Ao Feng had been refining his skills as a Fifth Rank Alchemist for many years and now finally stepped into the threshold of a Sixth Rank Alchemist.
Ao Feng's return this time spread the reputation of the Jade Capital Academy among the top circles in the Jia Ma Empire.
Several forces that had originally thought Zhao Li was just saying it casually and hadn't taken it seriously also visited Zhao Li and conveniently arranged for some young people to come and study, which made the academy lively.
Seeing more and more students, Zhao Li thought that he would eventually leave, and it would be difficult to arrange for these students in the short term.
After thinking it over, Zhao Li decided to still adopt the Zhao Family's approach: first find some teachers, and also seek out the Imperial Family and the Alchemist Guild, asking them to look after things.
As matters were resolved one by one, Zhao Li became leisurely again. He taught classes, learned music from the old man by the academy, and occasionally gave pointers to visiting guests. Days passed like this.
Time flew by like white clouds drifting across the sky, like a fleeting glimpse of a white colt, gone in an instant. Another two months passed like this.
After Zhao Li finished playing a piece, he heard Old Man Fu clap his hands and laugh heartily, full of praise.
"Little Zhao, you've learned my decades of skill in just two or three months. You are truly remarkable. However, you've only been studying for a short time and haven't truly immersed yourself in this path. If you spend some time honing your skills in the future, you will also become a Grandmaster of Music."
Old Man Fu remembered that this young teacher had accidentally heard him play a piece on the zither and then sought him out. He came with a formal offering and stated that he wanted to learn music from him.
He had seen practitioners visit Zhao Li before. At first, he thought how could a practitioner like Zhao Li settle down and learn from him, a mere mortal? Although he felt pressured, he taught with extreme caution.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Li had no airs of a practitioner, was very respectful to him in their daily interactions, was willing to put in the effort, and learned quickly. He had only been learning from him for a total of three months, but he had learned everything he knew.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Li put away his zither. Being praised by an elder, he smiled somewhat shyly.
Although Old Man Fu was a mortal, his attainment in music already had the demeanor of a grandmaster. Zhao Li remembered to hold these people in respect; he was going to be a refined gentleman skilled in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
"Old Man Fu, you flatter me. I should thank you for teaching me everything you know. By the way, I have a little gadget here, what do you think?"
As Zhao Li spoke, he remembered the bamboo flute he had spent a long time trying to make. He took it out and handed it to Old Man Fu.
He had initially thought he could just find a bamboo and make some holes, but after learning music, he realized how naive he had been.
Old Man Fu took the bamboo flute and examined it from all angles. Although he didn't see anything special, it was definitely related to music. He was a little puzzled and asked.
"Oh? What is this?"
Zhao Li took out another one and gave a demonstration. Old Man Fu's eyes lit up when he heard the sound from the bamboo flute. He tried it himself, following Zhao Li's example, and his eyes shone with excitement.
"This bamboo flute you made is really good. It seems I underestimated the extent of your learning and application."
Zhao Li naturally knew how attractive a new musical instrument was to someone who loved music. After introducing the bamboo flute to Old Man Fu, he bid farewell and left.
"I'm glad you like it. I'll head back now. Take your time studying it."
Having learned another skill, bringing him further along the path to becoming a refined and handsome gentleman, Zhao Li was extremely happy, though also a bit regretful.
"It was good luck running into Old Man Fu, but I haven't found any seniors skilled in other arts here."
Shaking his head, Zhao Li vanished, reappearing at the Jade Capital Academy.
Looking at the children studying inside the academy, Zhao Li couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. The spark that would change the times might just start with them.
"Mister Jade Capital, you're back."
A voice, dry but clear, pulled Zhao Li back to reality. It was the vice-dean of the academy, whom Zhao Li had sought out. He was over sixty years old but only had the Cultivation Level of a Dou Master. Although a cultivator, his sole passion was teaching and educating.
Over the past few months, as the Jade Capital Academy gradually got on track and improved, Zhao Li had also come to be known as Mister Jade Capital.
Zhao Li nodded. Calculating the time, he realized he had been in the Jia Ma Empire for nearly half a year, the longest he had stayed anywhere on his journey so far. Zhao Li was starting to feel the urge to leave.
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