In the Rhapsody on the Eastern Capital, it is written: "Within the four seas, schools stand like forests, and the halls of learning are filled to the brim."
This passage meant that in the nation of Yuanshuo, educational institutions were as numerous as trees in a forest, indicating that education was flourishing across the country.
Since the reign of Emperor Yuan, Yuanshuo had established official schools throughout the land. In the villages, they were called Village Schools; in the counties, districts, and fiefs, they were called District Schools; in the vassal states, they were Academies; and in the Eastern Capital, it was called the Imperial Academy.
However, Qiu Shuijing, who was traveling northward toward the Heavenly Market Enclosure, was startled by the state of the villages, which was completely different from what was described in the Rhapsody on the Eastern Capital.
The Rhapsody claimed that education was booming in every village, but far from booming, it was difficult to even spot a student in the Village Schools. Some schools had already closed their doors, left with nothing but overgrown weeds.
Over the last thirty years, most people from the countryside had migrated to the cities. Now, only a few remaining elderly people and children lived there, tilling the barren earth. Consequently, problems both large and small were rampant everywhere.
Qiu Shuijing recalled the beautiful scenery of the countryside from his childhood. In those days, the mountains were green, the water was clear, and the land was spiritual, producing many talented individuals. But now, the appearance of the past was nowhere to be found; everything had disintegrated.
Education, in particular, was the biggest problem. The young adults of the villages had all left for the cities, leaving only the old and the very young behind. Wealthy parents took their children to the cities to study in official schools, but poor parents had to go out and work every day. For them, let alone education, it was difficult enough just to properly look after their children.
The children left behind not only stopped going to the Village Schools but also roamed in packs, constantly getting into all sorts of trouble. A school that used to be full of students was now considered doing well if it gathered even three or four.
"If there are no children, the Village Schools cannot be maintained. And if there are no Village Schools, the children have nowhere to study, leading to an increase in ignorant subjects day by day. If that happens, the country will eventually fall into great chaos."
Qiu Shuijing chewed over these words he had heard a little while ago, shaking his head repeatedly.
In truth, his visit to the Heavenly Market Enclosure this time was not to examine public sentiment, but for a different reason entirely.
"Teacher, the sun is setting. Why don't we find a Village School to stay in for a while, and then begin our work when the Heavenly Gate appears?"
One of the disciples standing behind Qiu Shuijing spoke up. Qiu Shuijing looked at the setting sun and nodded.
He and his disciples found a dilapidated Village School nearby and entered. The only things visible around the school were gaunt, thorny bushes.
Just as Qiu Shuijing's disciples were roughly tidying up the school and preparing to cook rice, the sound of reading suddenly drifted out from the lecture hall where students were usually taught.
Qiu Shuijing pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling everyone to be quiet. The scattered disciples killed the sound of their footsteps and stealthily approached their master. The sound of reading became increasingly distinct.
'Surely this place has been abandoned for years, and there shouldn't be any houses nearby... How can there be the sound of reading?'
"It is not only humans who can read."
Perhaps hearing his disciples whispering, Qiu Shuijing spoke in a cold, low voice.
Qiu Shuijing moved softly and peered inside the lecture hall.
Surprisingly, standing inside the room was an old fox spirit. It appeared slightly larger than half the size of a human. Holding a teaching pointer in its left hand and a book in its right, it was pacing back and forth, reading aloud.
But what was even more astonishing was that about a dozen fox spirits were sitting in front of the old fox. Yellow, white, red, and patterned—fox spirits of various colors and markings were reading the scriptures. And they were sitting very neatly!
'If these wicked things learn to read and distinguish reason, they will become a disaster for the human world in the future. They might even try to seize the world from humans!'
Upon seeing the fox spirits, Qiu Shuijing immediately emitted killing intent and was about to step forward, but he was forced to stay his hand. Surprisingly, amidst the pack of foxes, a young boy was sitting in a meditative posture. He looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, and his appearance was quite handsome.
'The country is in decline and the people are destitute, so there is no one to teach the children... and now a spirit is teaching a human...'
Feeling a bitter yet strange sense of emotion, Qiu Shuijing decided to leave them be.
When their master, who looked as if he would exterminate the spirits at any moment, turned away without doing anything, the disciples asked in puzzlement.
"Master, why are you leaving them be?"
"How much must that child have wanted to learn to be studying alongside fox spirits? Just leave them alone. The poor thing doesn't even know fear... Anyway, what a truly peculiar child."
Qiu Shuijing and his disciples sat silently in the school courtyard for a while. Then, suddenly, the sound of whistling and the cheers of children were heard. It seemed class was over; the fox spirits began to pour out, chattering noisily.
The foxes rushing out soon discovered the humans gathered in the courtyard. They froze in place, eyes wide, not knowing what to do.
The disciples were equally at a loss. They all looked to their master for a cue, but Qiu Shuijing merely wore a faint smile and did not seem to mind.
"Brother Flower Fox! I told you not to run so fast. Wait for me!"
Just then, a youthful voice came from somewhere. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a boy hurriedly stepping out the door.
One disciple, observing the boy closely, spoke to the disciple next to him in a surprised voice.
"That child, I don't think he can see!"
Hearing this, the other disciples began to observe the boy's eyes closely. The boy's eyes were entirely white; no pupils were visible. Indeed, it seemed he was a blind child.
"Ah, since he cannot see, he must have mistaken the foxes he was studying with for humans."
The disciples began to murmur amongst themselves, finally understanding the situation.
Then, the boy, whose hearing was sharper than anyone else's, realized people were gathered nearby and shouted loudly.
"Teacher, Teacher! I think we have guests in the courtyard!"
A moment later, the fox spirit who had been teaching poked his face out.
Tak, tak.
The fox spirit, walking toward the disciples while leaning on a cane, went pale the moment he saw Qiu Shuijing's face.
"Distinguished guests have come from afar, and I am truly sorry I could not properly receive you."
After bowing to the humans, the fox spirit turned his head and shouted sharply at the foxes standing in a daze.
"Class is dismissed. Hurry up and go home!"
The boy bowed to Qiu Shuijing and his disciples as if he could see his surroundings clearly, then hurriedly left the school with the fox spirits.
Qiu Shuijing stared blankly at the boy's retreating figure for a long time.
"That child is named Su Yun. Please, come inside first."
The old fox spirit, appearing to have made some sort of resolve, guided Qiu Shuijing into the lecture hall.
"Su Yun is from Tianshi Town in the Heavenly Market Enclosure. He is thirteen this year. Sadly, he lost his sight due to an accident when he was seven. Anyway, Su Yun happened to pass by here one day, heard me reading, and insisted he wanted to take my class, so I allowed it."
Qiu Shuijing asked in surprise.
"A person from Tianshi Town? I heard long ago that there are no living people in Tianshi Town... I was told no one lives within a hundred li of it."
The old fox spirit stroked his whiskers and said, "Teacher, you must be mistaken."
Qiu Shuijing looked around the room with a hollow smile, as if he couldn't believe it. A painting of the Four Gentlemen hung on one wall, and on one edge of the painting, the phrase 'Become an example for others' was written.
The old fox spirit adjusted his posture and spoke politely.
"Teacher, I beg you to leave my corpse intact."
Qiu Shuijing turned his gaze from the painting and looked steadily at the fox spirit.
"Do you have a name?"
"The children call me Master Hu (Fox). What should I call you, Teacher?"
"Call me Master Shuijing."
Qiu Shuijing stood up and said, "I am physically weary. Would it be alright if we rested here for a while?"
Master Hu asked in surprise, his expression one of disbelief.
"Are you saying you will not kill me?"
"Confucius once said, 'Teach without discrimination.' Isn't that exactly what you are doing, Master Hu?"
Qiu Shuijing continued solemnly.
"Master Hu, you are a spirit, and Su Yun is a human. Yet, you taught Su Yun, a human, how to read. If this isn't the image of a teacher Confucius spoke of, then what is? Furthermore, education is not being properly conducted in the villages these days. Since you, a spirit, are doing the work that even humans are failing to do, you are truly doing a valuable deed, Master Hu."
Master Hu let out a deep sigh of relief.
Qiu Shuijing continued speaking.
"However, listening to your class, Master Hu, I noticed you were teaching with ancient scriptures. Those are old books, thousands of years old. They are completely unsuited for the current era."
Master Hu asked, startled.
"Are you saying these scriptures are no longer suitable? Haven't humans been teaching humans with these books for thousands of years?"
"Yes, that was true in the past. It was true until just thirty-five years ago. But now..."
Qiu Shuijing spoke with a disapproving expression.
"Master Hu, the times have changed. Teaching children with stubborn and inflexible ancient education will only make them suffer."
Master Hu staggered to his feet and asked with a blank expression.
"Teacher. If we do not teach with the ancient scriptures, then what are we supposed to teach the children with? Is there perhaps a new scripture?"
Qiu Shuijing let out a sneer.
"A new scripture? There is no such thing in this world these days... Perhaps it exists somewhere, but it cannot exist in Yuanshuo..."
Master Hu just stared blankly at Qiu Shuijing, at a loss for words.
"You may go now."
"Ah, yes... Then I shall take my leave."
Master Hu bowed at the waist to Qiu Shuijing and hurriedly exited the school.
After Master Hu left, Qiu Shuijing and his disciples decided to get some shut-eye.
About two hours (one shichen) after everyone had fallen asleep, a strange energy suddenly circulated in the sky. Qiu Shuijing, the first to notice the strange energy in the heavens, woke his disciples in a low voice.
"Everyone, get up! The Heavenly Gate is opening!"
The disciples, who had been sleeping haphazardly on the floor, instantly sprang up and straightened their bodies. Tension was evident on their faces.
"Put out the fire!"
At Qiu Shuijing's command, a few disciples near the campfire immediately extinguished the flames.
Whish—.
As soon as the fire was completely out, Qiu Shuijing leaped up onto the roof. Several disciples nimbly flew up and followed to his side.
It was the middle of the night, so only the crescent moon and stars shone in the night sky, and a desolate wind blew continuously from somewhere.
Qiu Shuijing spoke to his disciples in a low voice.
"Everyone, open your Heavenly Eyes."
The disciples hurriedly took out leaf-shaped jade stones and attached them to the space between their eyebrows. The jade stones on their foreheads looked as if a person was glaring with an eye wide open.
"Open!"
At their master's word, the disciples took a deep breath. The jade stones slowly absorbed into the space between their eyebrows until they became completely invisible.
A moment later, something began to bulge from the disciples' foreheads. Then, the skin between their eyebrows split open, and spinning eyeballs popped out from the gap.
Just then, someone shouted in an excited voice.
"The Heavenly Gate is opening! The Ghost City is appearing!"