Chapter 1223: 1080: Ignition_2

Chapter 1223: Chapter 1080: Ignition_2

The day for the retake of the Metropolitan Examination soon arrived. As countless scholars were about to enter the Imperial Academy, thunderclaps erupted across the sky, lightning piercing the dark clouds, momentarily lighting up the heavens as if it were daytime.

Under the gaze of the crowd, bolts of lightning struck the periphery of the Imperial Academy, setting the wooden buildings ablaze in an instant. The fire spread rapidly toward the Academy.

“This…”

As everyone stood in confusion and panic, shadows zipped through the darkness unnoticed by all.

“It’s over! It’s over! The Metropolitan Examination will be postponed again! And the Imperial Academy has been burned down—who knows how long it will take to rebuild.”

“What should I do? I haven’t enough money for lodging; staying in the capital is entirely beyond my means.”

A scholar’s eyes flashed with venomous resentment. “If not for Liu Baiqing’s cheating, I would already be a Jinshi by now!”

Many Juren born of humble origins, who had finally achieved success on the imperial examination list, felt a surge of anger burst inside them, as if it had grown three stories high.

Indeed! If not for Liu Baiqing, how could they have ended up in such a predicament, even facing the possibility of abandoning their ambitions?

Fortunately, this was a world of extraordinary powers. As soon as the examiners came to their senses, they deployed their methods to extinguish the flames, preventing the fire from spreading further beyond.

Yet, nearly half of the Imperial Academy was reduced to ashes—rendering it totally unusable.

A few officials remained to soothe the thousands of Juren, while others raced to the royal palace.

…

“Damn it! How could this have happened? What were those examiners doing? If they had acted the moment they saw the fire, how could the damage have been this devastating?” Liu Bairui fumed in rage upon learning of the incident.

“Your Majesty, what should we do now? Should the Metropolitan Examination still take place?” an elder statesman stepped forward to speak.

Liu Bairui’s expression stiffened. “Summon all craftsmen in the capital immediately and repair the Imperial Academy as quickly as possible. Once completed, begin examinations the next day—without delay!”

“Also, instruct the Legalist faction to investigate this matter thoroughly. I want the reasons behind this uncovered at once.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

At this time, no one dared to contradict Liu Bairui.

Yet not a single good piece of news came; only bad tidings followed in relentless waves.

A rumor had begun to spread rapidly throughout the capital and nearby regions—likely escaping far beyond by now.

The rumor claimed the fire at the Imperial Academy was an act of divine discontent, sent down as a warning specifically against Liu Bairui.

Not only did ordinary folk—already susceptible to celestial whispers—believe the tale; even some members of the Liu family, with their superstitious leanings, bought into the rumor.

Whether their belief was genuine or driven by ulterior motives was known only to themselves.

Crash—

Priceless porcelain shattered into shards across the floor, thrown down violently by Liu Bairui. He himself resembled a defeated lion, his chest heaving in ragged breaths.

“Investigate! Deploy everyone—find out who’s behind this deceit!” There was no need to overthink; Liu Bairui knew someone was plotting against him, attempting to oust him from his place on the throne.

Moreover, such vile, dangerous rumors were a catastrophic blow to royal luck!

Considering the events of late, the Dafeng Dynasty’s luck had reached an all-time historic low.

The army, previously holding an advantage on the front lines, found their efforts overturned because the faltering luck had weakened their suppressive effects on cultivators—allowing foes to regain the upper hand.

“At once, Your Majesty!”

Unfortunately, after a heavy rain, all traces of evidence were buried and vanished into the earth.

Of course, the Liu family’s discreet assistance ensured not a single clue remained.

Li Zhirui was satisfied with this outcome.

Not only did it deepen suspicions and mistrust between the monarch and his officials, but it also further drained the kingdom’s luck, leading to the army’s crushing defeat—destabilizing the dynasty’s foundation.

Until they could train enough soldiers anew, expansion beyond their borders was next to impossible, unless the Liu family heirs voluntarily joined the ranks to fill the gaps—a notion Li Zhirui deemed laughable.

Those arrogant and self-serving ones would never stoop to being common foot soldiers.

Thus, for now, Wanzhu State was safe!

Launching a counterattack against the Dafeng Dynasty would remain no simple task, given the suppressive effects of the Human Dao Law Net that greatly hampered cultivators’ powers.

However, Li Zhirui had not been idle these days—his insights from before had advanced significantly, and he was close to completing a Secret Technique to mitigate the suppressive effects.

Once shared with the cultivators, the Dafeng Dynasty would know no peace thereafter!

Still, it wasn’t enough—Li Zhirui intended to topple Dafeng completely, extinguishing the pressures on Wanzhu State while allowing his family to inherit a vast legacy.

It was crucial to note that dynasties linked to luck and the Human Dao were fervently driven to expand their territories, and over the years, the Dafeng Dynasty had amassed lands exceeding eight thousand miles—far surpassing the Li family’s current domain size.

“Sir, you are truly remarkable!” Cao Da exclaimed with admiration, though he had long been aware of this mysterious strategist’s extraordinary skills. Even so, he still marveled in awe.

“This is far from enough; for now, keep quiet and lie low—hibernate properly,” Li Zhirui advised.

Though Cao Da recognized the wisdom of such tactics, he couldn’t help but ask, “Sir, how long until we overthrow the Dafeng Dynasty?”

“Soon. Within ten years, it will all be completed.”

With cultivators invading from without, internal fractures among factions, and Li Zhirui’s meticulous designs, perhaps this year would mark the height of Dafeng’s reign.

…

Once the Imperial Academy had been repaired, the Metropolitan Examination and Palace Examination were completed uneventfully at last.

Among the students guided by Li Zhirui, the best ranked among them placed over one hundred, while the worst scraped through at the bottom, barely securing a spot on the golden list.

“From tomorrow onward, you will each embark on your own paths. I cannot remain by your side; everything from here depends on yourselves!”

Li Zhirui gathered them for a face-to-face conversation.

“You have likely observed the many unfavorable aspects of the dynasty by now. Without surprises, you’ll spend the next several decades traversing the states and counties. If lucky, you might be assigned to a large county. If unlucky, you could end up in the newly conquered barbarian territories.”

At these words, the students, who had initially felt pride from earning their place on the golden list, instantly hung their heads, exuding frustration and helplessness.

“As your teacher, I leave you with one final piece of advice.”

Li Zhirui spoke earnestly. “Strength is paramount! Never abandon cultivation. With your positions of authority, you can use your official seals to connect with the dynasty’s luck and accelerate your cultivation.”

“But this alone is insufficient to break free from the chains of these rules. You will also need to cultivate ‘wang’!”

“Wang?”

The students didn’t quite grasp the term.

“‘Cultivate’ refers to nurturing; ‘wang’ refers to reputation.”

“This reputation could come from winning the heart of the people by fighting for them or addressing their concerns, or from educating and enlightening the masses. The specifics are up to you to figure out.”

Li Zhirui fixed his piercing gaze upon them. “If you become renowned as Great Confucians or Legalist experts while possessing immense personal strength, you won’t remain mere third-tier officials!”

“Someday, you could be granted titles and positions like marquises or ministers—key figures in the court!”

After hearing this, the young students, still inexperienced in worldly affairs, let their eyes shine brightly. Li Zhirui had reignited their futures, presenting them with a path after all!

Though unsure if they could tread it, they now saw the possibility of roads ahead.

“Thank you, teacher, for your guidance!” Sincerely, the students bowed deeply.

Each harbored their own hidden thoughts, but they all understood that without Li Zhirui, they wouldn’t have achieved such heights or glimpsed their promising futures.

“Alright, the night grows late. Many of you must set out tomorrow—head back and rest.”

After they left, Li Zhirui muttered to himself, “Let’s hope this fire burns ever hotter!”