Chapter 711

Li Yan was not surprised by Wang Jingxiu’s enthusiasm.

They weren’t particularly close; their time together amounted to only a few days.

This old Daoist was simply one of those obsessed fools.

His father was the Golden Toad Patriarch Wang Daozong, a direct disciple of the True Man Sanfeng; though not the sect leader, he was highly respected within Mount Wudang.

Wang Jingxiu had never known hardship since childhood. His cultivation talent was mediocre, but he was a genius at alchemy—spoiled as a child, pampered as an adult, utterly devoted to alchemy, harmless by nature, and thus no one ever bothered him.

So when this old Daoist got worked up, he behaved like a child who never grew up.

Even the guards at the gate looked troubled.

Wang Jingxiu didn’t care, but Li Yan wouldn’t act recklessly—he verified the token before entering the mountain gate.

After passing through, Li Yan looked up and silently praised the sight.

The Qiankun Academy occupied an enormous area, far surpassing ordinary academies.

Passing the screen wall, one entered a grand square paved with square blue bricks, one foot on each side; at its center stood a circular raised platform, the courtyard’s four corners perfectly aligned, embodying the cosmic pattern of a round sky and square earth, with two massive bronze beasts standing face to face—resembling yin-yang fish, and also corresponding to the Qian and Kun hexagrams.

In the distance, palaces rose and fell in staggered tiers, their upturned eaves and bracket sets subtly coalescing into a “presence.”

The academy’s layout was no accident; as Li Yan surveyed the surroundings, he felt his spiritual powers being suppressed.

“Elder, who designed this place?” Li Yan couldn’t help asking.

Wang Jingxiu chuckled, stroking his beard: “You noticed, didn’t you? This place isn’t ordinary—it was built through collective effort. Both the Mo Sect and master feng shui experts contributed. Originally, this mountain wasn’t auspicious, yet they forcibly transformed it into this.”

Sha Lifei muttered: “That must’ve cost a fortune…”

“What’s money?”

Wang Jingxiu glanced at him. “Forget that the Qiankun Academy is of great importance—just the experience gained from this joint construction is priceless. Did you know the academy isn’t even finished? Already, they’re building a new port in Quanzhou using the academy’s methods. Word is, after completion, the Japanese pirates and red-haired sea bandits will no longer dare disturb it.”

So that’s how it is…

Li Yan, upon hearing this, suddenly understood.

Whenever he thought of the academy, the steam engine always came to mind—but he’d forgotten the academy’s original purpose.

This was the Great Xuan Dynasty’s first specialized academy of investigation into things, where craftsmanship and technology were the focus.

From the old Daoist’s tone, he’d made breakthroughs in architecture and arrays.

Even before opening, the academy had already yielded such results—Li Yan’s anticipation grew even stronger.

“This is the ‘Dao of Investigation.’”

Wang Jingxiu led them along a broad, level stone main path, explaining as they walked: “This path runs through the entire academy, symbolizing its foundation. Look at the flowers and plants on either side—they’re no ordinary flora. They’re the ‘Hundred Crafts Herbs’ specially cultivated by Ge Pusheng of the Hundred Herbs Hall, ornamental and medicinal both…”

Li Yan’s eyes lit up. “Is that the direct disciple of the Medicine Sage?”

He had heard of Ge Pusheng’s name before.

After the Medicine Sage’s passing, the Li family’s lineage continued, producing the Daoist physician master Li Facheng.

But the most renowned was still this direct disciple, Ge Pusheng.

He holds the title of ‘Imperial Medical Bureau’s Herbal Repository Director’ and is well-known even within the Daoist sects.

“Mm.”

Wang Jingxiu nodded, his eyes filled with admiration. “Director Ge’s expertise in herbal medicine is truly exceptional.”

As they spoke, the three passed through the front courtyard’s grand hall.

Ahead, several clearly defined zones emerged in outline.

In the distance, smoke rose from the workshops, faint metallic clanging echoing.

Nearby stood clusters of pavilions with elegant upturned eaves, whitewashed walls and gray tiles, windows bright and desks clean—clearly where students studied.

Further still, scattered cottages near a stream were piled with various stones, ancient trees, and unidentifiable fossilized bones.

Among them, even a complete giant dinosaur fossil had been reassembled.

Too bad, it held no spiritual aura—it wasn’t a spirit object.

“Damn, these are beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas…”

Sha Lifei stared, turning to say: “Young Master Li, this is even bigger than what we found on Mount Qinglong!”

Li Yan nodded, his eyes full of interest. “Elder, do people still study these?”

“It’s Bai Chenshan, the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.”

Wang Jingxiu nodded. “He’s fascinated by them. One of the academy’s major tasks is to remap the landforms and geography of Shenzhou. Many feng shui masters are involved—you’re likely to interact with them the most.”

Li Yan frowned. “Suppliers?”

He knew he could join the academy, but not his specific role.

“You didn’t know?”

Wang Jingxiu looked surprised. “Besides instructors, the academy has hired many suppliers—all deeply accomplished Daoists. Besides your ‘Twelve Zodiacs,’ there are three wandering immortal squads.”

“Mapping Shenzhou’s terrain requires venturing into remote, perilous lands. Sending troops to escort them would drain resources, so they hire suppliers for protection. Of course, the academy doesn’t exploit them—achievements earned can be exchanged for spiritual treasures from the treasury or to hire academy craftsmen.”

“That’s a clever idea.”

Li Yan was first startled, then smiled.

He’d been looking for ways to repair his Great Luo Body—the academy’s treasury treasures were exactly his target. Not to mention the academy gathered the finest craftsmen of Shenzhou; in the past, they were scattered across the land, each with different temperaments, and asking for help meant owing favors.

Beside him, Sha Lifei was interested in something else. “Who are the other three squads?”

To be called “wandering immortals,” they must be elite Daoists.

Wang Jingxiu replied: “‘Sea Vault,’ ‘Dragon Devourer,’ and ‘Cloud Guest.’”

Li Yan frowned. “I’ve never heard of them.”

He’d traveled the Jianghu and gathered plenty of Daoist intelligence—he knew several famous wandering immortal squads.

But these names were utterly unfamiliar.

Wang Jingxiu shook his head. “This old Daoist doesn’t know much—I never asked in detail.”

Li Yan pondered, committing the names to memory.

“Let’s head to the ‘Hundred Crafts Pavilion’ first!”

Wang Jingxiu, eager, led them down a left-side stone path.

The path wound through a lush bamboo grove, accompanied by the gentle murmur of a stream below, giving a sense of seclusion.

Above the stream floated a wooden footbridge, entirely constructed with mortise-and-tenon joints, not a single iron nail in sight.

On the bridge, intricate wooden gears and mechanisms, powered by the flowing water, carried leather conveyor belts transporting unfinished wooden components and stone fragments inward.

Noticing his gaze, Wang Jingxiu smiled. “Just small devices—Master Tao’s work.”

“Who is Master Tao?”

“Tao Fengchun, master of the Mo Sect, Director of the Ministry of Works’ Construction Bureau. The ‘glue mortar’ used to build the opposite Divine Machinery Camp was his invention.”

“Ah, my apologies for my ignorance.”

Li Yan’s expression immediately turned solemn.

Though he hadn’t heard Tao Fengchun’s name, the gray exterior walls of the Divine Machinery Camp looked suspiciously like cement…

Not long after, a magnificent three-story pavilion appeared before them.

Above its massive wooden door hung a plaque inscribed with the characters: “Hundred Crafts Pavilion.”

The entire building was constructed primarily of dark hardwood and blue stone, its structure strong and forceful, each floor featuring large row windows.

Now the windows stood open, faint shadows moving within, the sounds of hammering, sawing, and sketching barely audible.