"It's the City Lord's wife's father—that means he's the great Confucian scholar Cai Yong, Master Bojie! My god, that's a true master of Confucianism. In the vast history of Huaxia, such grand scholars were few and far between in any era. Each of them was profoundly learned, a living treasure respected and admired by all."
"It really is Master Cai Yong. It's said that even when Dong Zhuo took control of Luoyang back then, he dared not offend someone like Cai Yong easily. He had to show deference when meeting him. To offend a grand scholar is to offend the entire Confucian School—to offend all the scholars under heaven."
"With the convergence of all realms on the Eternal Continent, even family members once scattered across worlds can reunite. It's simply too incredible. In this chaotic world, no one knows what tomorrow holds. Danger lurks everywhere—beasts, monsters, foreign races. Anyone could die any day in the wild. To survive and meet again... it's a miracle."
"There are so many scholars... but why are there also old farmers and doctors? What kind of place did the City Lord visit, to bring back such a group? And from the look of them, none are ordinary people. They're all cultivators. Just who are these people?"
The citizens of Xuanhuang City were all murmuring in private, eyes full of curiosity. But they could all sense it—this sudden influx of scholars would bring profound change to the city's development. The support they represented was immeasurable.
"Jia Yucun!!"Yi Tianxing called out.
"Your subordinate is here!"Jia Yucun had already hurried over. The moment he heard his name, he stepped forward.
"Are there still any vacant houses in the city to accommodate these scholars?" Yi Tianxing asked.
"Rest assured, my lord," Jia Yucun replied decisively. "A batch of residences has long been prepared. They're currently unoccupied and can house them for now. The rest can be sorted out later."
"Good. I'll leave their accommodation to you. If possible, register their household info, issue them Heavenly Registry Cards (天籍卡), and assign someone to explain the current state of Xuanhuang City to them."
Yi Tianxing nodded and issued his orders.
These people already felt some sense of belonging to the city. The next step was to solidify it—to make them residents of Xuanhuang City. Once that was done, everything else would fall into place naturally.
By now, Cai Yong and Cai Yan had managed to suppress their emotions, though joy and excitement still shone clearly on their faces.
When Cai Yong looked at Yi Tianxing again, his eyes carried the gaze of a father-in-law assessing his son-in-law. His entire outlook had changed.
"Yi Tianxing greets Father-in-law. I apologize for being with Zhao Ji before gaining your consent."
Yi Tianxing formally bowed in respect—a courtesy to his elder.
"No need to dwell on such formalities," Cai Yong said with a smile. "In a world where all realms have merged, everything is uncertain. How could we know whether we'd ever see each other again? Should the two of you never marry just because I wasn't around? That'd be nonsense. The world doesn't work that way."
Now, when Cai Yong looked at Yi Tianxing, he felt increasingly satisfied.
This was a man of capability and vision. In such a short time, he had built a massive city from nothing, forged an entire sphere of influence, and become a ruler over millions of humans. As a son-in-law, such a man was unmatched—a rare treasure.
Cai Yong inwardly rejoiced. Especially seeing that his daughter looked truly happy, he was completely content.
This was the perfect son-in-law.
There was nothing to complain about.
"Since my son-in-law wishes to accomplish something great, how could I, as his father-in-law, not offer support? Yan'er is still too naïve. Right now, she's his only woman, but as his power grows, it's inevitable that more women will come into his life—whether due to interests or other reasons. Without a strong backing, her position may one day be threatened."
Cai Yong might be a great scholar, but he was also a father. After their reunion, he felt an even stronger urge to do something for his daughter.
"Tianxing, I intend to rebuild the Jixia Academy—right here in Xuanhuang City."
Cai Yong suddenly declared.
"Then I invite Father-in-law and General Qi to the City Lord's Manor to discuss in detail," Yi Tianxing replied, a glint flashing in his eyes. He did not immediately agree, choosing instead to continue the conversation at the manor.
"Very well."
Cai Yong glanced up at the towering City Lord's Manor atop the Treasure Tree Palace and nodded, curiosity in his heart.
Yi Tianxing smiled and took Cai Yan's hand as they led the way.
Huang Chengyan, Jia Xu, and the others followed closely.
In the back courtyard, under a massive pavilion...
Yi Tianxing sat at the head, with Cai Yan beside him. Huang Chengyan and the others were also seated. Attendant girls brought out seasonal fruits to place before them. Lai He had already gone to prepare breakfast.
It was still early in the morning—the perfect time for a meal. Having just returned, they hadn't eaten yet, and a good meal was exactly what they needed.
"Brother Bojie, did you just say you intend to rebuild the Jixia Academy?" Huang Chengyan asked.
"Indeed," Cai Yong replied. "Now that Yan'er is with Tianxing, this old man has no intention of leaving. I've had enough of officialdom. What I can do is teach. Besides, many of the scholars I brought here aren't suited for office. Some prefer education. Leaving them in an academy to teach is the best way to avoid wasting talent."
He nodded calmly as he spoke.
"Forgive my bluntness," Jia Xu interjected, "but I believe we should not rebuild Jixia Academy. Instead, we should found a completely new, unique academy belonging to Xuanhuang City alone. There can be many Jixia Academies. Its relics are scattered, and anyone who finds one can lay claim to the name. Rather than inherit that legacy, why not build something truly original?"
In history, Jixia Academy had unmatched status. To every Hundred Schools cultivator, it was sacred and untouchable.
But this was the Eternal World now.
Its relics had scattered and become many. Inheriting the name meant risking competition—who was legitimate, and who was not? Yi Tianxing did not wish to walk that path.
He didn't want to follow—he wanted to lead.
"It will be harder to attract scholars without the name Jixia," Cai Yong said, shaking his head. "Its name alone draws intellectuals."
"Not necessarily," Yi Tianxing replied confidently. "Even without that name, we can leverage its legacy. A school's influence often depends on its power base. As long as Xuanhuang City is strong enough, building a thriving academy won't be difficult. Jixia itself started from nothing. If they could do it—so can we."
"I agree with the Lord," Jia Xu added. "Yes, Jixia is prestigious. But this is a new world. If we create a new institution that surpasses Jixia, the founder will be immortalized. That's true legacy—not just reusing someone else's path."
Immortalized through the ages!!
Those words struck Cai Yong like a lightning bolt.
For a scholar, the greatest dream was to be remembered forever. Rebuilding Jixia might gain fame, but it wouldn't be eternal. But founding a new school—one that equaled or exceeded Jixia—could bring boundless glory.
This wasn't about reviving history.
This was about making history.
The idea took root in his heart—deep and unshakable.
"What kind of academy do you intend to build, Tianxing?"Cai Yong took a deep breath and asked again, this time with clear interest.
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed with an unusual light.
"I intend to found a completely new academy—like Jixia in spirit, but unique in name. It will embrace all the Hundred Schools of Thought, uphold academic freedom and open intellectual exchange, and encourage the birth of all new ideas. It won't just nurture scholars, but warriors too. In this new world, I hope to recreate the brilliance of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods—where thought collided and civilization flourished."
"This academy will gather wisdom from all corners of the world and ignite the spark of innovation to propel human civilization into a brand-new era."