Fantasy: Unparalleled Prince, Conquering the Heavens!

Chapter 576 - 560: Jixia Academy _1

A general is the soul of an army! The type of general determines the type of army; this is an unchanging truth throughout the ages. Bai Qi cultivated the Dao of Slaughter, so his future path was destined to be one of slaughter. His command style, evident in the bloody massacre at the Ten Thousand Demon Saint’s Court where countless lives were cruelly extinguished and rivers of blood flowed, would be characterized by iron-fisted killing. Not everyone, however, enjoys slaughter. Allowing Bai Qi to continue commanding the Vermilion Bird Army would not only fail to strengthen them but could even lead to their destruction. The best solution was to have Bai Qi form a new legion.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Bai Qi was secretly delighted. After a respectful bow, he returned to his position.

After the investiture ceremony concluded, Qin Wudao settled back on his imperial throne. "Aside from conferring titles upon deserving officials at today’s court assembly, I have another matter to discuss with you, my ministers!" A dazzling light erupted from his eyes as he announced loudly, "I intend to establish a spellcaster army to enhance the strength of the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court’s forces!"

The civil and military officials sank into deep thought upon hearing this. It was, without a doubt, a bold decision. Spellcaster armies had, in fact, appeared during ancient times and enjoyed a period of great popularity, performing exceptionally well in long-range combat, defensive battles, and siege warfare.

However, spellcaster armies possessed two inherent flaws. First, their close-combat capabilities were weak. They could not engage in melee combat, and if an enemy closed the distance, they would be powerless to retaliate. Second, they could not form an army soul. Due to the unique characteristics of spellcasters and their different cultivation methods, they were unable to deploy army formations or coalesce an army soul. In legionary warfare, an army soul played a crucial role, significantly boosting the strength of both the general and the soldiers, thereby influencing the battle’s outcome. These two drawbacks were precisely why spellcaster armies had been merely a fleeting phenomenon.

Zhuge Liang pondered for a moment before stepping into the center of the hall. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, within the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court, the number of spellcasters is scarce. We cannot organize a large-scale army. Please reconsider!"

With the emergence of scholars from various schools, teachings like Confucianism, Taoism, and medicine began to spread widely throughout the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court, nurturing many knowledgeable individuals. However, the time since their advent had been too short, and the talent cultivated was consequently limited. The Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court had also expanded too rapidly. The vast territories it now governed required a large number of officials, creating a situation where there were far too many positions for the available candidates. Often, individuals were transferred to local posts just as they had completed their training. Even so, there remained a severe shortage of local officials. Given this situation, where would they find surplus spellcasters to form an army?

"Rest assured," Qin Wudao said with a mysterious smile, waving his right hand. The Void before him tore open, and rays of profound light burst forth, piercing through the Heavenly Universe before vanishing into the distance.

Gui Guzi, Wang Yangming, Dong Zhongshu, Yuan Tiangang, Yue Fei, Han Xin, and the others abruptly raised their heads, their expressions shifting to astonishment. They sensed a familiar aura, as if sages had descended upon the world! Gui Guzi’s reaction was the most intense; among all the profound lights, one contained the Origin Power, identical to his own aura.

RUMBLE!

To the east of the Imperial Capital, the Void began to collapse. Mysterious lights filled the sky, and Rhymes of Dao spread out, forming a vast sea of scholarly energy that stretched to the horizon. Then, hundreds of beams of literary brilliance shot straight into the heavens. The three thousand laws fell into disarray, and the causality of space and time became distorted. It was as if an unparalleled power had reshaped the firmament and carved open a world from Chaos. Hundreds of magnificent phantoms emerged from unknown regions of space and time. Their faces were indistinct, like celestial deities, their true appearances unable to be directly perceived—mysterious and powerful. Only their eyes, as brilliant as stars, seemed to penetrate all the world’s mysteries. To them, this world held no secrets.

A projection of Saint Confucius!

"Successors of Confucianism, we pay homage to our Teacher!" Dong Zhongshu and Wang Yangming gazed at a particular phantom, their faces alight with joy, tears welling in their eyes as they knelt and performed the rites of a Disciple.

"Successors of the School of Military Arts, we pay homage to our Teacher!" Han Xin and Yue Fei then knelt on one knee, offering their respects with utmost reverence.

"Successors of Taoism, we pay homage to our Teacher!"

One after another, excited voices echoed from within the imperial hall.

The great sages of Huaxia!

Qin Wudao descended the imperial steps and walked to the entrance of the imperial hall. He looked up at the hundred phantoms in the sky, his expression solemn as he offered a respectful salute. Though he had transmigrated to another world, he always remembered he was a son of Huaxia.

Huaxia! An ancient civilization! A most excellent civilization!

The hundred phantoms above him were the progenitors of Huaxia’s scholarly traditions, the very founders of its civilization.

"Confucius Institute, arise!"

"Taoism Institute, arise!"

"Legalist Institute, arise!"

"Military Institute, arise!"

"Strategist Institute, arise!"

"Yin-Yang Institute, arise!"

Above the Void, the hundred phantoms moved, traversing the Heavenly Universe. Ethereal voices issued from them, echoing in all directions, reaching the ears of countless citizens of the Qin Dynasty. These sounds were like the sacred pronouncements of the Great Dao, lingering long after they were spoken.

A miraculous sight unfolded. From the shattered Void, palaces and academies rose from the ground. In the blink of an eye, they formed an academic complex spanning hundreds of miles.

The Jixia Academy! Huaxia’s premier institution!

Within this area, all powers belonging to the original continent were utterly expelled. Whether it was Rule Power, the Power of the Great Dao, or the Power of Laws—all vanished. Only the Principles of the Hundred Schools stood firmament in the sky, their divine light radiant, suppressing all heavens and myriad realms.

This is...

「In the Imperial Observatory」

The old blind man, who had been sitting cross-legged, scrambled into the courtyard as if possessed. In his sunken eye sockets, a seven-colored light flickered as he stared at the Jixia Academy.

What miraculous power! "Power that does not belong to this world... disperse!" The corner of the old blind man’s mouth twitched. A spectral river, shimmering with opalescent light and swirling with boundless Rule Power, materialized behind him and surged towards the Principles of the Hundred Schools, attempting to suppress them.

"Hmph?" At that instant, the eyes of the founders of the Hundred Schools flashed, and they attacked in unison. The might of the Principles of the Hundred Schools surged, striking towards a specific point in the Void.

PFFT!

Back in the Imperial Observatory, the old blind man’s face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The spectral river of power behind him completely dissipated. He looked up, two streams of bloody tears flowing from his eyes, a trace of fear in their depths.

"So many academies!"

Meanwhile, the citizens of the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court also beheld the Jixia Academy. Whether they were in the East Border or far away in the Middle Region, by simply looking up, they could see the vast academic complex suspended above the Imperial Capital. However, in the territories beyond the Great Wall, no change was observed in the sky above the Imperial Capital. Even ’Jie’ and the Jade Honored One, experts who had broken through to the Semi-Immortal Realm, detected nothing.

For a moment, the entire sky above the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court seemed to brighten.

Qin Wudao tapped his toes and levitated into the air, asking with a smile, "My esteemed ministers, with this academy, I believe cultivating a spellcaster army should no longer be an issue, correct?" The Power of the Principles of the Hundred Schools cascaded down, bathing him in its light and lending him an exceptionally sacred aura.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The assembled ministers exchanged glances, no longer voicing any objections.

With the Jixia Academy established, the number of disciples from the Hundred Schools within the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court would skyrocket, providing more than enough candidates to form a spellcaster army. As for the inherent flaws of such an army, they could slowly devise solutions. Furthermore, they had a premonition: if the shortcomings of the spellcaster army could be addressed, it would elevate the military might of the Qin Dynasty Saint’s Court to an entirely new echelon.