Li Ang had never considered enrolling in Body Refinement classes.
Body Refinement was certainly beneficial; Martial Arts Grandmasters possessed vigorous qi and blood, were immune to a hundred evils, and could charge through an army of tens of thousands as if it were an uninhabited realm.
That day, the argument between Li Wei and Yang Yu had been childish, but both implicitly agreed on one point: in a Candle Cloud Realm battle, if Magic Masters or Talisman Masters were caught off guard and approached by martial artists of the same level, they could be instantly killed without even a chance to deploy countermeasures.
Even without weapons, the mere roar of a Martial Arts Grandmaster could shatter a person’s composure. Some cowards might even die from sheer terror on the spot.
However, because he possessed Mo Si, participating in Body Refinement classes would too easily allow those thoroughly tempered martial artists to notice something unusual, risking exposure, so he had to abandon the idea.
Among the remaining Dao Paths, Li Ang signed up for talismanic study and Mind Study.
Upon reaching the Rain Listening Realm, a Talisman Master could gradually unlock various talismans, such as Alarm Talismans, Light Sound Talismans, Burning Temperature Talismans, Arrow Avoidance Talismans, Earth Transformation Talismans, Spider Movement Talismans, and Frozen Cold Talismans, making their techniques much more versatile.
After advancing to the Cloud Patrol Realm, with diligent practice, one could even draw talismans without relying on talisman paper. Using Heart Thought as the pen, Spiritual Power as the ink, and the heavens and earth as his canvas, his ability to respond to emergencies improved significantly.
As for Mind Study, formal courses would teach advanced Telekinesis techniques, such as:
"Heart Level": eliminating one’s aura to conceal one’s presence.
"Square": releasing Telekinesis to perceive the surrounding environment.
"Rock": covering the body with Telekinesis to resist external attacks.
"Coiling Finger": wrapping Telekinesis around the palm to attract and hold objects.
"Tethering Silk": controlling specially crafted metal wires with Telekinesis, like a spider’s web, to envelop an area.
Higher-level Telekinesis Masters could also multi-task and develop even more abilities. For instance, Ya Jiu controlled others to serve as his eyes and puppets.
Li Ang chose Mind Study for two reasons: first, Telekinesis had no significant drawbacks and was very practical; second, specializing in Telekinesis would allow him to better control Mo Si.
So far, He Fanshuang, Li Ang, and Pei Jing were likely the first among the students of the third year of Zaiqian to reach the Mid Stage of Body Concealing Realm.
He Fanshuang signed up for Talisman and Sword Studies, while Pei Jing only signed up for Sword Study.
As for the others, Li Leqing, Qiu Feng, and Yong Hongzhong enrolled in Magic; Yang Yu chose Mind Study; Ji Linglang opted for Sword Study...
Li Ang contemplated his future path as he rode back to their Golden City Square mansion with Chai Chai in the carriage.
Since the new students had a heavy workload and Chai Chai’s academic foundation wasn’t very strong, she had been particularly distressed these past few days, poring over books and tackling practice problems every night, even eating two fewer bowls of rice than usual.
"How was school today?" Li Ang asked casually as he tidied up the tableware, washing the dishes with his Telekinesis.
"Don’t even mention it." Chai Chai was leaning on the table, working on exercises and sighing heavily. "School is such a pain. In Mathematics, I just looked down at my nails for a moment, and when I looked up, the whole world had changed. National history classes are even worse; who cares about studying what clothes the various ranks of eunuchs, including Chief Eunuchs, wore in the Former Sui Imperial Palace!"
Once Chai Chai started complaining, she didn’t hold back. She criticized the Academic Palace thoroughly, arguing that while only the best students could be admitted, they would still be tormented by the coursework once they were in.
"In our class, there’s also a student from the Extreme West. Young master, you have no idea how peculiar he is. His family runs a small business in the Extreme West, and they came to Chang’an because his parents are traders. They’re considered commoners back home, not noble at all. His admission to the Academic Palace this time greatly honored his ancestors. But somehow, he’s made joining the Yu Country’s registry his life goal.
"He’s always blabbering, ’Our Yu Country is just so brilliant!’ or ’Roasted lamb from the Western Regions isn’t tasty, but add Yu Country spices, and it’s delicious!’
"Sometimes he even talks to himself, giving speeches like, ’People often ask me why I came to Chang’an. I always respond : For the fresh air. Five years ago, I stepped down from the carriage coming from the Western Country. I took out a handkerchief, preparing to cover my nose and mouth to fend off the stench I had imagined. But when I breathed in the first gulp of Chang’an air, I put my handkerchief away. The air in Chang’an is so sweet and fresh, with a strange kind of luxury. I was completely shocked by it.’
"When other Yu Country students heard that, at first, they found it novel and interesting, but after hearing it too much, it became... well, indescribable." ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NoveI-Fire.ɴet
... Li Ang opened his mouth, a mental image of a foreigner with a face potentially symptomatic of hyperthyroidism appearing in his mind. It seemed as if a strange voice saying "arriving at your doorstep" rang in his ears. He shook his head. What a wealth code.
"Wealth code?" Chai Chai paused for a moment, soon disregarding the peculiar term, and continued her rant, "There’s also a student from Japan who bows respectfully to everyone he meets, with an overwhelmingly gracious attitude. I heard he’s from a noble family in Japan and has some connection with Doctor Chao Heng."
"Oh, yes, I remember him; is he the one named... what was it again?" Li Ang nodded. Chao Heng... that refers to Abe Nakamaro, one of the Envoys to Tang who came to Yu Country in his youth. He admired Yu Country’s culture, took up the Han name Chao Heng, and stayed in Chang’an. He was admitted to the Imperial College with excellent grades and subsequently entered civil service, successively holding positions including an examiner at the Left Spring Palace Institute of Scripture Examination (Standard Ninth Rank), Left Remonstrance Official of the Chancellery (From Seventh Rank, Upper), Chief of the Palace Library and Minister of the Imperial Guard, and Left Grand Master of Remonstrance and Protector-General of Annam.
Even in the open-minded Yu Country, which appointed many officials from Alien Clans, his official positions were not low. Moreover, he was acquainted with Li Taibai; they were close friends.
"Yes." Chai Chai nodded. "He claims to be Chao Heng’s grandnephew. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know."
Every few years, Japan sent Envoys to Tang by ship to pay tribute. In addition to the envoy themselves, sailors, and other crew members, there were Onmyojis, Doctors, painters, musicians, translators, woodworkers, smiths, shipwrights, and so on.
After the envoys had an audience with Emperor Yu, the others would comprehensively study Yu Country’s culture, bringing back ideas, literature, art, and more to Japan.
They would even offer substantial sums of money to invite Yu Country students, Monks, and craftsmen to visit Japan for cultural exchange and observation.
If Yu Country students were willing to go to Japan to help establish academies modeled after the Academic Palace, the Japanese side would even prepare noble youths—both male and female, who spoke the official Chang’an dialect—to serve as their academic companions, referred to as ’study partners.’
Hmm, this all feels strangely like déjà vu.