「Prime Minister's Residence!」
The three Prime Ministers were gathered. In the incense-filled grand hall, Zhuge Liang and Xiao He were playing Go. Guo Jia stood by watching, but he was not one to observe in silence, interjecting every now and then.
"In a few days, I'm afraid the Imperial Capital will be quite deserted!" Xiao He mused, then took a black stone. With a SNAP, he placed it on the board, making the already profound game even more inscrutable.
"Then what about us three? Who will stay behind?" Zhuge Liang asked casually, placing a white stone.
"I heard the Minister of Rites has resigned!" Guo Jia interjected, adding, "But that foolish lad thinks going to the Torch Academy is a loss for him. He has no idea it's a tremendous opportunity!"
Xiao He smiled and said appreciatively, "Among all the court officials, aside from ourselves, his character is the purest. Confucianism has recruited a fine disciple!"
Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan and remained silent.
"The Ministry of War also held a meeting," Guo Jia continued. "Generals Wang Jian, Zhao Yun, Lv Bu, and Li Yuanba will stay. The rest are going to the Torch Academy!"
So many are leaving? Xiao He's mind was no longer on the Go board, his brow deeply furrowed. The experts of the Qin Dynasty were primarily concentrated in the military. Now, only four generals would remain. As a result, the powerful individuals garrisoning the Qin Dynasty would be somewhat stretched thin!
"So, it would be better if we three stayed," Guo Jia said gravely. "The Heaven's Court of the Qin Dynasty is our foundation; we cannot allow any disarray!"
Hearing this, Zhuge Liang and Xiao He pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"It's good not to go. The three of us will have leisure time for Go!" Xiao He said, picking up a black stone again.
"Indeed!" Zhuge Liang assented.
Guo Jia also chuckled and said, "It's black's turn. You can play here!" He stood to the side, a wine pot in his left hand, pointing at the Go board with his right, every bit the grand strategist.
「Confucian Palace.」
Dong Zhongshu appeared serene. Holding a brush, he dipped it in ink and practiced his calligraphy. His strokes were divine, emitting an astounding Confucian aura that permeated the paper, creating celestial phenomena across the sky.
Ru!
On the rice paper, there was only this single character.
"This one character can bring peace and stability to the nation, ensuring its legacy for generations!" Wang Yangming exclaimed in admiration after carefully observing the character 'Ru'.
"This journey to the Torch Academy is also an opportunity for Confucianism to flourish. You should be the one to go!" Dong Zhongshu said, putting down his brush. He exhaled gently to dry the ink, then enveloped the rice paper with his Confucian aura and handed it to Wang Yangming.
"With this character in hand, we will undoubtedly recruit three thousand disciples!" Wang Yangming declared earnestly as he received the rice paper.
The two men looked at each other and smiled, as if envisioning the ascendancy of Confucianism, with millions of followers spreading its teachings throughout all realms.
「Time passed.」
Ten days went by swiftly.
Qin Wudao received the roster of individuals heading to the Torch Academy; in total, there were over a hundred people.
Among them, aside from personnel from the Qin Dynasty's imperial court, there were only three prodigies from the common folk: Hongyi, Wang Denglin, and Qi Meng Die.
Hongyi, a disciple of the Sky Sword Pavilion, was in the late stage of the Profound Immortal realm.
Wang Denglin, a student from the Imperial Capital Academy, wielded a heavy saber. He was a man of few words, rarely smiled, and appeared cold. He was in the middle stage of the Profound Immortal realm.
Qi Meng Die, a student from Yangzhou Academy, possessed the gentle beauty of a southern lady, her lips always curved in a smile. She wielded an umbrella-like weapon and was in the initial stage of the Profound Immortal realm.
Apart from these three, the others included: from Confucianism, Wang Yangming and Liu Zhiyan; from Taoism, Yuan Tiangang and Zhang Jiao; Gui Guzi of the Art of War; Hua Tuo from the Medical School; the Buddhist monk Xuanzang; from the Ministry of War, Generals Yue Fei, Huo Qubing, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, Han Xin, Li Jing, the Generals of Liang Mountain, Yang Zaixing, Xue Rengui, Xu Chu, and Dian Wei; Strategists Li Ru, Sima Yi, Shen Wansan, and Zhou Yu. Additionally, there were Wang Xizhi, Yu Boya, Wu Daozi, Yan Ziqing, Cai Wenji, Cao Cao, Gan Jiang, Mo Ye, and others.
So many people? Qin Wudao was inwardly surprised after reading the list. After these people leave, how many will be left to defend the Great Qin? Will our defenses be vulnerable?
However, upon closer inspection, Qin Wudao noted that the three Prime Ministers and the four generals, including Wang Jian, were staying behind, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
With the three Prime Ministers here, internal affairs will be secure!
With the four generals here, military matters will be secure!
Since both military and administrative matters are secure, the departure of the other officials to the Torch Academy will not affect the operations of the Heaven's Court of the Qin Dynasty and can even enhance their strength! Qin Wudao analyzed. If a matter arose that even the three Prime Ministers and the four generals found challenging, then the presence of the others would likely make little difference.
So it's settled. Tomorrow morning, we set off for the Tianli Starfield. I wonder what the legendary Torch Academy is really like? Having made his decision, Qin Wudao put down the roster, his heart filled with anticipation for the journey.
The next day, a warship flew out from above the Imperial Capital, its speed so immense that it vanished into the starry sky in the blink of an eye.
This warship, a thousand zhang long and a hundred zhang wide, was jointly forged by Gan Jiang and Mo Ye. Its hull was inscribed with numerous formations, boosting its speed to rival the full-speed flight of a Taiyi Earth Immortal expert.
"Your Majesty," Hongyi said respectfully, standing behind Qin Wudao and gazing at the fleeting river of stars, "we are currently ten starfields away from the Tianli Starfield. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should arrive in five days!"
The Tianli Starfield was one of the examination sites established by the Torch Academy in the minor thousand world. Geniuses from tens of thousands of surrounding starfields were required to travel there for the assessment.
Hearing that they would spend several days on the warship, Qin Wudao's gaze turned to two figures standing in a corner, a trace of worry in his eyes. "Good," he said. "During these five days, everyone is to guide Wang Denglin and Qi Meng Die. I hope that everyone present can pass the assessment and join the Torch Academy!"
Among the more than one hundred people, he was most concerned about Wang Denglin and Qi Meng Die. Their cultivation levels had just barely met the examination requirements, making their chances of elimination high.
"As you command!" the assembly responded, bowing.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Denglin and Qi Meng Die bowed respectfully, their excitement palpable.
To receive guidance from court ministers was an opportunity beyond their wildest dreams. Although it was only for five days, it would be enough to significantly improve their cultivation.
After the Heaven's Court of the Qin Dynasty departed, geniuses from all over the minor thousand world began to make their way to the nearest examination sites.
Benefiting from the severe losses inflicted upon the All Clans, human geniuses no longer had to hide. They could traverse the starry sky openly and with confidence.
Looking up at the starry sky from the ground, one could occasionally see streaks of light flash past. Those were the warships or mounts belonging to human factions.
The Torch Academy, the supreme academy of the human race. A good place to cultivate for a period!
Moreover, the Purple Emperor Star of the human race has appeared. If the human race acknowledges me as the Purple Emperor Star, then I can recover my peak strength in a very short time!
The Qin Dynasty has gained great renown recently. If I can use the Qin Dynasty as a stepping stone to rise to prominence!
Then I will be the Purple Emperor Star!
In an ancient courtyard of the Song Family, a young prodigy who had been in seclusion slowly opened his eyes, murmuring to himself. His eyes held an immeasurable ancientness, like the divine eyes of antiquity.
He was Song Tianming, grandson of the Song Family's Great Elder.

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