"What a great poem, Ning Yan really has unparalleled talent in poetry." Li Mubai clapped his hands hard, his expression extremely excited. He was not only surprised as a scholar when he saw a good poem, but also anticipated the reaction of the academy students after reading it.

Zhang Shen did not comment, but as he looked at Xu Qi'an, he grew more and more appreciative and pleased, as if the other was truly a student he had personally trained.

"The words are simple, but the meaning is profound. At the third watch of the night, the lights are still burning and the rooster crows at the fifth watch, this is the time for a man to study... Brother Jinyan, do you remember our days of studying at the academy when we were young?"

Chen Tai tasted this poem of encouragement to study, feeling deeply moved and savoring it for a long time.

Zhang Shen was stunned, reminiscing about the scene of his studies half a year ago, and said with regret, "Isn't this what we were like at that time? I was young and poor, and could only eat two steamed buns a day. Often, in the middle of the night, I was starving and had to force myself to study by the light of a lamp."

Li Mubai said in a low voice, "Is that the reason you stole my chicken eggs every other day?"

Zhang Shen frowned and said unhappily, "How can you call it stealing when it comes to a scholar's business? That was borrowing. Didn't I pay you back later?"

Li Mubai puffed out his beard and stared, "When you were poor, a single chicken egg was worth a fortune, much like a thousand gold coins today."

Chen Tai coughed, interrupting the argument between the two friends, and looked at Xu Xinnian, "Cijiu, after the Spring Festival, regardless of your ranking, you have the qualifications to serve in the government. Have you thought about your future?"

Suddenly getting to the point made everyone uncomfortable. Zhang Shen and Li Mubai both shut up and subconsciously began to plan for Xu Cijiu.

Chen Tai looked at the two big scholars who were hesitant to speak and didn't give them a chance to talk, "Usually, staying in the capital and then being sent out is the proper way to advance in the officialdom. Although I am not an official, I do have some face in the Great Feng officialdom and can help you stay in the capital."

As a teacher, Zhang Shen immediately smiled, "That's great, Cijiu, thank Brother Chen."

"No need, no need. If you really want to repay me, I do have an idea..." Chen Tai smiled.

Hearing his old friend's words, Zhang Shen and Li Mubai felt that something was not right.

No one said they wanted to repay you.

But Chen Tai smiled and said, "Ning Yan, you are a piece of uncut jade. To become a master, you still need to be carved. These two old men are very rough, so come to me instead."

"Get lost, shameless old thief." Li Mubai and Zhang Shen were suddenly enraged.

Xu Qi'an seized the opportunity and immediately said, "Two sirs, Ning Yan does have a problem to ask for your advice."

He came to the Yunlu Academy today just to freeload.

"I have been stuck in the refining realm for a long time because I have no merits, and my family is poor, so I have never had the resources and opportunities to enter the Qi refining realm." Xu Qi'an bowed ninety degrees and said, "Please help me open the Heavenly Gate."

This was his second purpose for coming to the academy, although he could sell the magic tool that Song Qing gave him and exchange it for money to open the Heavenly Gate.

But that wouldn't make him happy at all. Xu Qi'an was a person who pursued happiness.Zhang Shen shook his head and laughed, "You're seeking help from the wrong place. We study Confucianism and Taoism. How can we help you open the Heavenly Gate? The circulation of energy and the flow of meridians in martial arts are things that only martial artists know."

The difference between the systems is even greater than I imagined... Xu Qi'an was a little disappointed and unwillingly asked, "I don't understand. If opening the Heavenly Gate requires the help of a master above the Divine Refinement Realm, then how did the first person open it?"

"Do you think the path of martial arts was created by one person? Is it something that can be achieved overnight?" Li Mubai asked him back before sipping his tea.

Xu Qi'an shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.

"It was opened by generation after generation of people," Li Mubai said slowly, "Perhaps at the beginning, the peak was the Divine Refinement Realm. Someone had a fortuitous encounter and opened the Heavenly Gate, and then the Qi Refinement Realm became the peak of martial arts. It took years and years to form a complete system of martial arts."

"Fortuitous encounter?" Xu Qi'an caught the key phrase.

"Having a master of the Divine Refinement Realm to help open the Heavenly Gate is the safest and most convenient method, but it's not the only one." This time, Chen Tai took over the topic and smiled, "When a baby is born, it contains innate true energy. As they grow older, the Heavenly Gate closes, and the innate true energy is stored in the body. If you want to regain control of this energy, you have to reopen the closed Heavenly Gate."

Xu Qi'an nodded his head. As people eat grains and produce impurities, they block the Heavenly Gate and the circulation of energy.

His uncle had taught him these theoretical knowledge before.

"There are many methods, besides the well-known opening of the Heavenly Gate, there are two other methods: one is the breathing technique."

"The breathing technique requires cultivation from a young age, soaking in medicinal baths every day, cleansing the meridians, and opening the Heavenly Gate. It takes more than ten years and costs countless amounts of money. This method has been eliminated."

"The second method is to use external force to open the Heavenly Gate. This is the clumsy method that the predecessors used at the beginning. For example, swallowing demon pills."

"Demon pills are the essence of the demon race's cultivation, containing immense energy. Swallowing a demon pill will forcefully open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, but because it cannot be controlled, it's a one in ten chance of survival."

So that's how it is... Although he didn't get a free ride, he still gained some knowledge. Xu Qi'an expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for teaching me, sirs."

Look at him, so humble and polite, and his speech is pleasing to the ear. The three great scholars stroked their beards and were extremely satisfied with Xu Qi'an.

...

The Saint's Academy, also known as the Saint's Temple, was located in the center of the academy and was dedicated to the person who created Confucianism and Taoism.

Outside the Saint's Academy, there was a large square paved with bluestone, which was large enough to accommodate all the students of the Yunlu Academy.

During the spring and autumn imperial examinations, the academy's dean would gather the students here to inspire them to study hard, pass the exams, and devote themselves to the country until death.

On the square, there was a short wall with peeling red paint, and a layer of paper was stuck to the wall.This wall is the notice board of Yunlu Academy, used to post the articles, poems, calligraphy, and occasionally outstanding works of the scholars and students.

There are also some notices from the academy.

Two bookboys came to the notice board, one holding a scroll and the other smearing rice paste on the wall. They then unfolded a large piece of paper, one person tall, and pasted it on the notice board with their combined efforts.

This action immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding students, especially the one-person-tall large paper, which was too eye-catching.

"What's been posted? Let's go and see."

"Hey, it's not an article, it seems to be a poem...what's so good about that?"

"After Ziyang Ju left the academy, the poems written by our scholars and great scholars, whether read or not, make no difference."

As they spoke, the students gathered in groups of three or five under the low wall, gazing at the newly posted large paper.

The handwriting on the paper was vigorous and lively, penetrating through the paper, and between the strokes, there was a sense of sharpness.

"This is Mr. Zhang's handwriting." A student recognized it.

More students focused on the poem on the paper.

"At three in the morning, the lamp and fire are still burning; at five in the morning, the rooster crows. This is the time when a man should study...I'm ashamed, ashamed. After the Autumn Examination, I never stayed up late to study again."

"At first glance, this poem seems simple and ordinary, but it reveals profound truths and makes people think deeply."

"What's so simple and ordinary about it? 'Black hair does not know the diligence of early study, white hair regrets the tardiness of reading.' The great way is simple, and all the famous sayings are in it."

"I regret being slack before. I was too indulged in chatting and hiking, and I put less and less effort into studying. When I saw this poem, I realized that I would definitely regret it in the future."

"Who wrote this poem?"

More and more people crowded under the low wall, looking up at the poem on the wall. As they immersed themselves in it, they resonated greatly with this poem of admonishment.

The scene described in the first couplet made the students feel ashamed. Although they had been studying hard, who could stay up late until three in the morning and wake up at five in the morning?

But this was not a lie, because there were indeed such examples. The great scholars and teachers of the academy often warned the students with their own examples.

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And some students who were very diligent also stayed up late and studied hard like this.

What really frightened the young students was the second couplet: 'Black hair does not know the diligence of early study, white hair regrets the tardiness of reading.' It seemed to be announcing their future fate. After some young people who had been neglecting their studies examined themselves, they all felt a sense of fear and regret, afraid that they would regret it when they grew old.

A feeling of not wasting the springtime and studying hard spontaneously arose in their hearts.

Not far away, on the edge of the big slope, three great scholars watched this scene. Chen Tai stroked his beard and laughed, "They say that poetry is useless, but little did they know that poetry is the most moving. Xuning Yan is truly a peerless poet."Seeing the positive effect of encouraging students to learn poetry, Zhang Shen couldn't help but smile: "This is true. He only took the time for a cup of tea, and his level of poetry can rank among the best not only now, but also throughout history."

Li Mubai suddenly asked, "Do you believe him when he says he has already abandoned his studies?"

Both scholars nodded at the same time. Li Mubai couldn't help but smile: "How do you know?"

"When he wrote poetry, he let me write it for him," Zhang Shen said.

"As a scholar, how could he let someone else write his poetry?" Chen Tai added, "Unless he is not good at calligraphy."

Every scholar is proficient in calligraphy, which is a basic skill.

Li Mubai sighed, "It's a pity. He is already of age and it's too late to switch to studying Confucianism."

Chen Tai lamented, "Such talent, yet he learned martial arts. It's a waste of a rare talent."

A rough martial artist is not worthy of Xu Ningyan's stunning talent.

Zhang Shen seemed to remember something and said indignantly, "According to Ci Jiu, when they were young, their father had decided that Ci Jiu would study and Xu Ningyan would learn martial arts."

"That Xu Pingzhi is not worthy of being a human. He wasted a seed of learning for nothing. It's really hateful," Li Mubai said angrily.

Both scholars expressed their agreement.

PS: I really want to start serializing early and start working hard (sarcasm).