"Father and Mother, I'm leaving now."
At the break of dawn, Su Changqing stepped out of his room and headed towards the foot of Cyan Mountain.
Yesterday, he finished reading all the books given by his Confucian teacher. Although there weren't many, they were profoundly beneficial.
The more he learned, the greater his thirst for knowledge became, and he gradually grew fond of that feeling of continuous progress.
Filled with motivation, Su Changqing walked briskly towards the outskirts of the village.
"Cough, cough, Chang Qing, off to study, are you?"
On the way, the neighboring Su Wenlin greeted him, his complexion somewhat pale.
"Hmm? Uncle Wenlin, what happened to you? Why are you coughing so severely?"
Su Changqing paused, asking with concern.
Cyan Mountain Village wasn't large, and the relationships among neighbors were good. Seeing Uncle Wenlin, who was usually robust, looking unwell worried him.
"Ah, it's nothing. I caught a chill yesterday, I'll be fine in a few days."
Su Wenlin waved his hand nonchalantly, smiling, "Hurry up to school, studying is important, don't miss the timing."
"Then remember to rest more, Uncle Wenlin, I'm heading off now."
Hearing it was just a simple cold, Su Changqing breathed a sigh of relief, gave a cheerful nod, and continued on his way.
But to his surprise, he encountered several people on the way who all had a bit of a cough.
"The autumn chill is deep, I should remind Father and Mother to pay more attention."
Su Changqing thought to himself as he walked, "I wonder if the Confucian teacher has any prescriptions for medicine..."
...
Before long, the study house came into view.
"Confucian Teacher."
Su Changqing called out as he entered the door.
Inside the study house, Li Qingchen was engrossed in the note given by Su Nan.
Without looking at Su Changqing, he gestured toward the packed shelves and said:
"For the time being, keep reading."
"In this world, studying is the simplest yet most challenging path; to achieve in the Confucian way, vast knowledge is a necessary foundation."
"When you have read widely and understood deeply, naturally you will comprehend the ways and principles of heaven and earth."
"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime. Remember, do not be greedy nor rush; you must truly understand the essence, then a book can be considered finished."
Su Changqing turned to look at the shelf full of books, nodded energetically,
"Understood, Master, I will thoughtfully read each book."
Finished speaking, Su Changqing randomly picked a book, found a seat, and began reading attentively.
As with yesterday, he flipped through the book at an incredibly fast pace.
Though reading swiftly, his extraordinary intuition allowed him to instantly grasp the meaning and principles within each passage.
Time passed quickly, and the light streaming through the window gradually turned golden.
"Learning never ends; the Confucian accomplishments of Emperor Wen are truly admirable."
Li Qingchen put down the notes, stretching.
But upon noticing Su Changqing beside him, he couldn't help but freeze.
Books piled beside Su Changqing had reached an astonishing count of over a hundred.
"Did you finish all this in one day?" Li Qingchen's eyelid twitched.
These were not ordinary books in circulation; they were rare Confucian collections from the Saint Academy.
Though unrelated to cultivation, the knowledge contained within was vast.
Even the great scholars of the Saint Academy would typically read only one or two books a day, yet Su Changqing had read over a hundred?
"Chang Qing."
Li Qingchen couldn't help but interrupt Su Changqing, who was deeply engrossed in his reading.
Su Changqing looked up at Li Qingchen blankly.
"This..."
One glance, and Li Qingchen sprang up in astonishment, eyes showing disbelief.
Su Changqing's eyes were tinged with bloodshot streaks; albeit a bit weary, they were exceptionally bright, seemingly able to see through one's heart.
In just one day, Su Changqing's entire demeanor had undergone a significant change.
He no longer resembled a rustic villager but looked strikingly similar to Li Qingchen, akin to a scholar.
More importantly!
Li Qingchen's gaze seemed to penetrate the center of Su Changqing's chest, where lay a strand of exceptionally pure yet minute energy.
Haoran righteousness!
"With ample knowledge, true nobility naturally radiates; to develop Haoran righteousness in one day, this..."
Li Qingchen's heart was awash with an overwhelming tide.
For someone of Su Changqing's age, developing Haoran righteousness through reading was not surprising; there were plenty at the Saint Academy.
But Su Changqing had been reading for only a few days?
Before eighteen, he hadn't read a single book, yet in merely one day, he had developed Haoran righteousness!
"Reincarnation of Emperor Wen?"
Li Qingchen fell silent; he had encountered many prodigies but none comparable to Su Changqing.
Su Changqing's insight... had already transcended his understanding.
"No wonder the Su family's Patriarch wished to suppress vigorously."
"Such innate talent and insight, if not suppressed, might reach the pinnacle in an extremely short time."
"Then, without a maturity matching the power, this person might be doomed."
Li Qingchen took a deep breath, calming his internal shock, then covertly flicked two fingers to extinguish the Haoran energy within Su Changqing's chest.
Now was not the time for Su Changqing to cultivate; Su Nan's plan was set for two years later.
Furthermore, Su Changqing wasn't lacking in Haoran energy; he had long accumulated considerable cultivation at Emperor Wen's sculpture.
Just waiting for Su Changqing to reach the Saint Academy to instantly inherit.
Currently, minor matters shouldn't interrupt Su Changqing's learning plans.
"Ah, is it already the time of Shen?"
Su Changqing, deeply absorbed in his books, became aware and hurriedly apologized,
"Sorry, Teacher, it's the student who was too engrossed and lost track of time."
Li Qingchen waved dismissively, "Dedicated studying is good, but you also need to balance work with rest."
"Today... the progress is decent, but you mustn't slacken; your foundation is weak, these are mere basic books... finish them early."
While saying this, Li Qingchen dared not look into Su Changqing's eyes, fearing he might not be able to speak.
Upon hearing, Su Changqing felt guilty, saying:
"It's the student being too foolish; Teacher, rest assured, tomorrow I can surely finish reading these books!"
Li Qingchen's mouth twitched, dismissing with, "Go, see you tomorrow."
He needed to take a good break.
"Yes..."
Su Changqing bowed his head, ready to leave, but then he remembered the encounter with Uncle Wenlin and others earlier that morning.
After hesitating briefly, he looked at Li Qingchen and asked:
"Confucian Teacher, do you have books on crafting medicine stones?"
"Several people in the village have caught a cold recently; I want to try learning and help brew some cold medicine for them."
Li Qingchen was stunned upon hearing this, pointing towards Cyan Mountain Village with some uncertainty,
"Are the villagers you're talking about... from Cyan Mountain Village?"
"They... caught a cold?"
Li Qingchen even wondered if he heard wrong.
The people from Cyan Mountain Village, each with formidable cultivation abilities, were either great kings or in the Saint Realm.
These people... surprisingly caught a cold?