There is a new Xundu Academy in Xundu. A great man who once traveled around the world and possessed the ability to communicate with gods is now giving lectures in Xundu. The great man's name is Feng. Some people say that he can know the past and present, while others say that he can predict people's life and death, misfortune and fortune. People come here in an endless stream, and the entire Xundu Academy, which was deserted at the beginning, has become extremely lively.
Fang Xiu sat cross-legged at the top of the academy hall, while dozens of students knelt in front of their seats. There were children in their early teens and young people in their twenties to nearly thirty. Each of them wore a loose robe with exquisite and simple patterns on the cuffs and hems of their skirts. Most of them were children of aristocratic families.
There were paper scrolls on the sides of everyone's desk, piled up like a small hill.
Dahuan considered red and black to be beautiful, liked rituals and music, and believed in witches and gods. Most of his clothes and costumes were in red and black tones.
On both sides, there were a large number of young men in linen and brown robes kneeling, and even old men carrying goods. On the corridor outside the threshold, there were even more people standing, sitting or squatting around the pillars.
As Fang Xiu's fame grew, more and more people came to study with him, some out of curiosity, some sincerely wanting to learn. Fang Xiu opened the door to everyone and allowed them to attend his lectures.
Some people came and left after half a day, while others stayed for more than ten days and then disappeared.
Over the past few months, countless people have come and gone in this Xun, and Fang Xiu neither tried to keep nor expel any of them.
He would explain everything to those who were willing to listen to his lectures.
However, everyone who has stayed here has naturally gained something, whether it is an understanding of the principles of life, the awakening of spiritual wisdom, or the learning of skills and techniques. No one can say whether among these people there will be some great sages who will change Dahuan and the human race.
At the beginning, Fang Xiu mainly taught people how to read and write, and of course, he taught the most orthodox spiritual texts.
Afterwards, Fang Xiu began to teach some about the geography of mountains and rivers, the historical origins of South Continent, East Continent, and overseas countries, etc. Various strange races, monsters, and strange regions amazed everyone present.
The people of Dahuan who had never set foot on this land and didn't know what the sea was only realized that the world was so vast.
Then he began to teach the most basic arithmetic algorithms, and sometimes also taught some strange techniques, such as the double fermentation method of wine koji, papermaking, how to use the principle of leverage to make a beam balance, as well as printing, how to make pigments, use pigments to paint and so on.
What is less discussed are things about world outlook and ideological values, mostly basic principles of respecting teachers, filial piety, loyalty, faith, propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame. In this era, most people do not have too many such concepts, or have only a preliminary awareness of this.
Fang Xiu talked about a lot of different things, and he didn't try to teach anything in particular. He just talked about whatever came to his mind. Even so, he became famous. People used what they learned from him and within a few months, they actually used the knowledge he taught to become minor officials or become wealthy.
Every time a class was given, the disciples were responsible for transcribing and writing it down, and then putting it in the library at the back. After a few months, together with some existing history books and records, they actually filled several bookshelves, all put together in different categories.
These are treasures far superior to gold, silver and other valuables.
After each lecture, he would give students time to ask questions. Many people even came just for this purpose. They might ask about some difficulties and doubts in life, or ask for something, and Fang Xiu would usually give some answers and insights.
This time the question was asked by a young disciple sitting in the front row: "Master, is there a way for someone without talent and whose blood of the witch god is not strong enough to become a witch priest or a witch?"
As soon as this question was raised, everyone in the Xundu Academy immediately looked at Fu Zifeng, the man with long hair draped over his shoulders, who looked like a carefree immortal.
Fang Xiu held the scroll in his hand and thought for a while before saying, "There is a Feili Mountain in Nanzhou. Legend has it that a rat demon found immortality at the foot of the mountain and later built a demon city not far away. There is a fairy vine in the demon city that bears fruit once every three seasons. If you take it, you can practice cultivation!"
"In the north of the North there is a dark sea, and there lives a fish named Kun, a species of ancient gods and demons. Bathing in its blood can gain magical powers!"
"In addition, it is said that there are also magical fruits from fairy trees in the mountains and rivers."
"Inside the blessed land and cave, there are elixirs and miraculous medicines. If you have the opportunity, you can certainly get them!"
As soon as Fang Xiu said this, the entire Xun City was in an uproar. Those witch priests and shamans were high above everyone else, the people closest to the witch god in the legend, but in their eyes, they were almost no different from the gods in the legend.
But at this moment someone told them that if they, ordinary mortals, had the opportunity, they could also be like them. This was simply unimaginable.
Even the student who asked the question at the beginning was just asking with a trial mentality, but he did not expect that the teacher would give three answers.
Fang Xiu looked at them and immediately said, "Think about Nanzhou. It is thousands of miles away from Dahuan. There are thousands of mountains and rivers and endless oceans. There are countless dangers along the way. Even if we reach Nanzhou and find the monster city, the thousands of monsters in the city are beyond the ability of mortals to resist."
“And the North Sea is so vast that it is hard to imagine. Even if we find the Kun, with the power of that ancient god and demon species, who can bathe in its blood!”
“And finding the immortal tree, magical fruit, and blessed land is not something that ordinary people can have.”
Fang Xiu's three sentences almost blocked these three paths. The eyes of some disciples who originally had hope in them immediately became dim.
However, everything Fang Xiu said was recorded. Perhaps one day, there will be someone with great luck and perseverance who will be able to break through the gap between immortals and mortals in this way.
Then several people asked a few more questions. At this moment, the sun was setting in the sky, so Fang Xiu ended his teaching for the day and Xundu Academy announced its closure.
More than a dozen slaves wearing linen short clothes and with their hair tied up with straw ropes walked out from the corridors on both sides and began to clean up the entire Xundu Academy.
Several slave girls with dark complexions and rough skin began to make a fire and cook. In the kitchen behind Xundu, wisps of smoke rose.
At this moment, the sound of hurried horse hooves suddenly came from the main road outside.
Dahuan did not have many horses, and most of them could not be used for riding. The few good horses were mostly used for royal travel, hunting, sacrificial rituals, and shamanic ceremonies. Even some noble officials traveled in ox carts, so the sound of horse hooves was not common.
Fang Xiu walked out of the gate and immediately saw groups of people leaving the city on the spacious street, appearing to be in a hurry.
After listening to the discussions of people around me, I realized that the order was issued from within the palace to send it to various places.
The king summoned all the princes, lords of the vassal states, city guards and tribal chiefs to come to the royal capital for an audience.
Perhaps because he was old and weak, King Huan, who founded the Great Huan Dynasty, showed his power for the last time and then arranged for the succession of the throne between the old and new kings.
In the following months, Fang Xiu gradually saw princes, nobles, lords of states, and clan and tribal chiefs from all over the place entering Xundu.
Among them, there were some strange people from the real world. They had golden or brown hair, and their facial features were very different from those of ordinary people. There were even evil spirits whose bodies were as black as charcoal. When they broke into the royal capital, they caused quite a bit of panic.
Many common people and soldiers of the Dahuan Dynasty thought that demons had broken into Xundu, and they fled in panic and rang the bells. A fierce battle broke out in the middle, and they clashed with the guards of Xundu. After two people died, their wanted portraits were hung at the foot of the city wall.
Finally, Fang Xiu finally saw some familiar figures.
It was Qingyang and Jia Yi, the Marquis of Qingyang and Jia Bo of the southern vassal states, who led a large number of soldiers riding on wild beasts to Xundu.