“The underground tunnels can indeed withstand explosive shockwaves. But if a flood comes and you still hide inside, it would be no different from digging your own grave.”
“What happened today is truly beyond comprehension.”
Li Shun’s expression shifted uncertainly. He hesitated over whether to activate Threefold Self-Reflection.
After a long while, he finally shook his head and dismissed the thought.
“Forget it. Even if I were to rewind time, with my current abilities, there’s no way I could stop this flood from arriving. I wouldn’t even be able to warn others in advance. It would only arouse suspicion.”
“The defenses of Lengshan County haven’t fallen yet… better to wait and observe for now.”
“Threefold Self-Reflection can only reset a single day. The limitations are still too great. I wonder… if that broken stone statue were restored, would anything change?”
Li Shun let out a quiet sigh in his heart.
“And besides…”
His gaze shifted toward the county yamen, a trace of cold light flickering in his eyes.
“Although I’ve cultivated the Cycle of Twelvefold Longevity Methods and borrowed two hundred years of lifespan from the heavens…”
“I haven’t gained any extraordinary abilities at all. Aside from being a bit more youthful and vigorous, there’s been no fundamental change.”
“It seems longevity techniques are just that, longevity. They have nothing to do with growing stronger through cultivation.”
“These past few days, I’ve tried asking Fang Xun about it, but that man… always brushes me off with vague answers!”
In the face of such a terrifying natural disaster, even the effects of Threefold Self-Reflection were greatly diminished.
For the first time, Li Shun felt an intense sense of urgency rise within him.
His desire to increase his own strength became incomparably pressing.
Since he gained nothing from Fang Xun, Li Shun decided to change his approach.
He began discreetly making inquiries among the constables of the county yamen. With his improved status, the constables were quite willing to talk. As long as it didn’t involve confidential matters, they would answer almost anything.
Yet what disappointed Li Shun was that these constables knew very little about so-called “cultivation.”
The reason they possessed strength beyond ordinary people lay entirely in their status as constables.
“Officials of the Great Qian are blessed with imperial authority. Even the frail and weak, so long as they are recognized by the court, can gain the strength to split mountains and shatter stone in an instant.”
“Of course, someone like Chief Constable Wu, who was already powerful to begin with, becomes even more formidable.”
After gathering information, this was the answer Li Shun obtained.
“So it seems my status as a Lengshan laborer doesn’t fall within the official system of Great Qian.” Li Shun mocked himself lightly.
Then his eyes flickered.
“In the entire Lengshan County, the true cultivators are probably only Wu Kuang, Cheng Yishu, and Fang Xun.”
“Even fewer than I imagined.”
“Oh… and there’s also him.”
A thought stirred in Li Shun’s mind, and a plan quickly took shape.
The next day, he carried ten jin of wind-dried meat and went to visit the County Deputy Magistrate, Yu Shang.
“And this is…?” Yu Shang’s attitude toward Li Shun was notably cold.
He glanced at the dried meat in Li Shun’s hands, somewhat puzzled.
Li Shun spoke, “This was granted to me by the court when I was ennobled. As you know, I’ve lived a hard life in the past and couldn’t bear to eat it. Now that the flood has sealed the city and supplies are scarce, I thought I’d contribute what little I can.”
“I also have three jars of wine at home. If you need them, County Deputy Magistrate, I can bring them over shortly.” Li Shun patted his chest as he assured him.
“Oh? I didn’t expect you to have such awareness.” Yu Shang glanced at him.
Then he chuckled lightly. “Enough with the act. I’ve lived for decades. What kind of people haven’t I seen? Speak. What do you want?”
“Now that the floods have sealed the city, I possess nothing but brute strength, yet no means to protect myself…”
“I wonder how one might attain abilities like Lord Magistrate, to soar through the skies and traverse the earth. I ask Elder Yu to enlighten me.”
Yu Shang let out a faint chuckle. “I was wondering what it might be. But this time, you’ve come to the wrong person.”
“This old man only possesses a few minor divine abilities because of this official robe. If I were to take it off…”
Though Yu Shang appeared to be only in his forties, he referred to himself as an old man.
Even as he spoke, his hands moved swiftly, casually putting away the dried meat Li Shun had brought.
He continued, “The various extraordinary abilities in this world can all be traced back to the teachings of the Hundred Schools of Thought. However, ever since His Majesty unified the realm, things have changed greatly.”
“In today’s world, the most orthodox path, and the one with the greatest number of practitioners, is the Official School. By wearing the robes of Great Qian officials, one gains extraordinary power.”
“The second tier is what we call the Prominent Schools.”
“Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Legalism, and Military Strategy. These five schools have long histories, vast followings, and are spread throughout both court and countryside. Our county magistrate belongs to the Confucian school.”
Having witnessed Fang Xun’s methods before, Li Shun nodded inwardly.
“As for the third tier, they are known as the Hidden Schools.”
“Yin-Yang, School of Diplomacy, Medicine, Agriculture, Miscellaneous studies, and the Novelists.”
“Though their scale is smaller than the Prominent Schools, each possesses its own profound and mysterious techniques. They play indispensable roles across the various departments of Great Qian.”
“Beyond these, there exist even rarer lineages, with fewer inheritances and far more inscrutable methods.”
“They move in secrecy and rarely reveal themselves. As for those, I know little.”
Yu Shang spoke at length, outlining the cultivation structure of Great Qian.
“If you wish to cultivate, you must seek out a corresponding school.”
“Find a master, enter their lineage, and only then will you have a chance.”
“However… the Hundred Schools are mutually hostile, like fire and water. Even within a single school, factions are divided. Once you choose, you cannot change paths. Otherwise, you will surely be hunted down. You must think carefully.” At this point, Yu Shang shook his head with a bitter smile.
“Besides, with the floods sealing the city, even if you wished to take a master, you likely have no opportunity.”
Still unwilling to give up, Li Shun asked, “Could it be that within Lengshan County, there is not a single school at all?”
Yu Shang shook his head. “Lengshan is a remote place. Nearly everyone in the city is a laborer. Why would those great figures come here?”
“There was one, once. The owner of Jixia Bookshop should have belonged to one of the Hundred Schools. But it has been a long time since any news of him surfaced.”
At this, Yu Shang paused before adding a warning, “Moreover, entering one of the Hundred Schools is no easy matter. You are a laborer of Lengshan, and have spent half your life cultivating the Spirit Division and Life Transformation technique. That technique originates from the Agricultural School. Though you have not formally joined them, you can still be considered half a disciple. Other schools may not be willing to accept you so easily.”
Seeing the uncertainty on Li Shun’s face, and perhaps considering the ten jin of dried meat he had received, Yu Shang offered some reassurance:
“If you are worried about the floods, there is no need. The Radiant Light Formation is more than sufficient to withstand this mere deluge. Just stay by the magistrate’s side. Who knows, perhaps one day, in a good mood, he might take you in as a disciple.”
“Among the Hundred Schools, what matters most is inheritance. Without guidance, it is nearly impossible to even begin.”
…
Li Shun walked back to his residence with heavy steps.
“I never expected the cultivation system of the Hundred Schools to have such high barriers to entry.”
“And besides… do I truly want to join the Agricultural School?”
“Hm? No, that’s not right.”
He suddenly recalled that each time he activated Threefold Self-Reflection, a set of translucent robes would mysteriously appear on his body.
“From that perspective, the school most suited for me…”
“Is not the Agricultural School.”
“But the Confucian School.”